Media release – Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 21 March 2024
Vote to support business confidence on Saturday
The TCCI is the voice of business in Tasmania and is urging Tasmanians to use their vote this Saturday to support business confidence in Tasmania.
TCCI CEO, Michael Bailey, said the election could be close and every vote counts.
“The TCCI wanted this election to be a contest of ideas and we’ve certainly seen that over the past five weeks,” Mr Bailey said.
“When Tasmanians go to the polls on Saturday, we want them to put the politics and the posturing to one side and really think about each candidate’s and each party’s policies.
“It’s these policies that will influence how Tasmania tackles the challenges that are ahead of us.
“It’s these policies that will either give the business community the confidence to invest, grow, create jobs and support communities or impact confidence and create uncertainty.
“From the business community’s perspective, the TCCI believes the key challenges for the next Government are – energy policy, governance, the cost of doing business and improving the participation rate.
“We would encourage all business owners, their employees and the broader community to support the candidates with the policies that they believe will best address those priorities.
“The TCCI is apolitical and we won’t tell people how to vote, but we would urge people to make their vote count this Saturday.”
Media release – Tasmanian Small Business Council, 21 March 2024
VOTE FOR STABILITY AND PRO-SMALL BUSINESS CANDIDATES THIS SATURDAY
The Tasmanian Small Business Council has urged voters to vote for candidates who offer stability and pro-small business policies this Saturday.
“The most important ingredient supporting small business in Tasmania is confidence, and the best way to provide confidence is through stability”, TSBC CEO Robert Mallett said.
There are 41,000 small businesses in Tasmania providing the majority of the private sector workforce and their confidence to employ, comply, make a profit, reinvest that profit and pay tax is the cornerstone to providing nurses, hospitals, teachers, roads and all the other things which make our lives so good.
“Specific pro-small business polices are important, and we note a number of pro-small business policies have been released this campaign.
“In particular, we note the Liberals’ policy to increase the Buy Local weighting from 25 per cent to 30 per cent, and the introduction of single-form tendering.
“Labor’s policy of applying “buy local” to locally made copy paper is welcome.”
Mr Mallett said he was concerned by Labor’s announcement late yesterday that they would seek to move TasTAFE back within the public service. Government departments have not been very successful in running businesses in the past, and we haven’t been given any reason to think that they are any better now.
“The newly independent TasTAFE is starting to find its feet and is becoming very successful, and we urge Labor to re-consider their position”, Mr Mallett concluded.
Media release – Master Builders Tasmania, 21 March 2024
Labor’s TAFE change a step backwards
Master Builders Tasmania CEO, David Clerk, says Labor’s proposed changes to TAFE are a step backwards.
Mr Clerk said Labor’s policy would unwind positive changes at TAFE.
“Making TAFE a stand-alone organisation was a huge achievement,” Mr Clerk said.
“Scrapping those changes would damage TAFE’s ability to be a lean, effective training organisation and we do not support that.
“We need a TAFE that is nimble and responsive to the needs of industry and Labor’s policy will not work.
“We would encourage Labor to talk to industry and find a way forward that will be in the best interests of students, businesses and staff.”
Media release – Josh Willie MLC, Shadow Minister for Education and Early Years, 20 March 2024
A better TAFE under Labor
A Rebecca White Labor Government will give Tasmanians best-practice training to build the workforce of the future, by building a better TAFE system alongside cost-of-living relief to make study more affordable.
A Labor Government will establish a Centre of Excellence for automatic, hydrogen and electric vehicles at the Clarence TAFE campus in Warrane.
The Centre will address the training demand for electric vehicle repair to meet the needs of our future energy system, as well as working with Metro Tasmania to deliver training and employment pathways for mechanics, including electric bus and hydrogen vehicle service and repair.
The Centre will also provide innovation, leadership and best practice delivery of skills training to upskill other TAFEs around the country and will replace the existing facility in Hobart which has reached capacity.
Labor will also expand the Burnie TAFE civil construction workshop to create a Civil Construction Centre for Excellence, and deliver pioneering work in civil construction to be shared nationally with other TAFEs cross the country.
And we will establish a state-of-the-art Computerised Numerical Control Machining Facility to train apprentices and upskill workers at Derwent Park within the TasTAFE Metals and Manufacturing team.
Importantly, a Labor Government will bring TAFE back in to the State Service to deliver better outcomes for students and teachers, provide 20 scholarships for new trades teachers, and fund 10 extra literacy and numeracy staff to deliver foundational skills.
With the cost-of-living crisis acting as a barrier to study, a Labor Government will also increase allowances paid to apprentices when they have to travel for study – with a new meal allowance of $40 a day and an accommodation allowance of $100 per night.
Labor will also create a new Apprentice Tool Allowance to provide up to a $500 rebate to apprentices for the purchase of relevant tools or safety equipment for their on-the-job work, delivering even more cost-of-living relief to apprentices and trainees.
And we will increase childcare subsidies for TAFE students.
It’s time for a better future. A Labor Government will provide cost-of-living relief and develop a strong TAFE to help train the workers of the future.
