Media release – Jeremy Rockliff, Premier, Minister for State Development, Trade and the Antarctic, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Member for Braddon; Felix Ellis, Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management, Minister for Skills, Training and Workforce Growth, Minister for Resources, Minister for Racing, Leader of the House, Member for Braddon, 7 March 2024

Strong Plan To Boost Our High-Vis Army

A re-elected Rockliff Liberal Government will deploy a new wave of the High Vis Army to build Tasmania’s future infrastructure and extend it to include plumbers and sparkies.

“As part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s future we will invest an additional $6 million to boost the highly successful High Vis Army to 2027,” Premier Rockliff said.

“We have a $27 billion infrastructure pipeline over the next decade to build the infrastructure for Tasmania’s future.

“We need 40,000 workers by 2033 to help build the roads, bridges, dams, schools, hospitals, commercial and residential developments that Tasmanians need.

“To achieve this, we are deploying a second wave of the highly successful High Vis Army together with industry, and we’re extending it to include plumbers and sparkies too.

“For the first time, the program will extend to the Master Plumbers Association of Tasmania and the National Electrical Contractors Association.

“This builds on our investment with the Master Builders Tasmania, Housing Industry Tasmania and Civil Contractors Federation Tasmania.”

“This is an investment in the hardworking and highly skilled men and women with a strong commitment to building the infrastructure that Tasmania needs today, and for generations to come.”

Minister for Skills, Training and Workforce Growth, Felix Ellis, said the High Vis Army was part of an ongoing commitment to building Tasmania.

“The High Vis Army adds to our recent announcement to invest $4.3 million in a new Earthworks Training – Dig, Drive, Go site at Quercus Park and our new north-west training hub,” Minister Ellis said.

“Together, these investments enhance our existing construction sector, and attract even more younger workers to deliver our Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future.”

This policy will cost $6 million over the next three years.

A Strong Plan For More Housing

A re-elected majority Liberal Government will help to unlock the Great Australian Dream of homeownership for more Tasmanians with our new $35 million Homes Faster! package.

This is a comprehensive suite of targeted measures to fix Tasmania’s housing supply challenges that have grown as the economy has strengthened under our Government.

“Our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future is all about taking more action on the issues affecting us most right now, particularly housing,” Premier Jeremy Rockliff said.

“When Tasmanians have a key to their own home, they also unlock countless opportunities. But, to put it simply, we need more homes.

“We’ve delivered a record 3,000 homes over the last four years, but for many Tasmanians, their first home still lies beyond reach, and rental prices are still too high.

“We’ve already announced that we will stamp out stamp duty, with a 100 per cent discount for houses up to $750,000 for first home buyers.

“Now, we’re taking the next step to fix the supply issue with a $35 million Homes Faster! fund to build hundreds more houses, apartments and units over the next two years.

“Homes Faster! will quickly turn plans on a page into bricks and mortar homes, building hundreds of homes for Tasmanians right across the state.

“First, we will cut stamp duty in half when Tasmanians buy a new apartment or unit off the plan or under construction, up to a value of $750,000 for two years.

“Second, we will add a $10,000 per unit incentive for developers with up to 50 units, to get more new infill medium or high density units built close to identified key development areas.

“Third, we will provide short-term interest-free loans up to $1 million for medium density units and apartments to assist with early headworks charges.

“We need more houses, apartments and units for Tasmanians to live in or rent, and every single one of these measures will turn plans into reality, sooner.

“This is a trifecta of wins for Tasmanian homeowners, renters and our building industry too.”

Minister for Construction and Housing Nic Street said other measures in the Strong Plan for Housing would also help to unlock hundreds more land lots and in-turn homes.

“We will boost the existing residential land rebate program, offering a rebate of actual costs incurred up to a total of $15,000 per lot up to a maximum of 40 lots,” Minister Street said.

“This can go towards water and sewerage infrastructure, power infrastructure and also includes NBN, which wasn’t previously covered, and will bring forward at least another 667 lots to market over the next two years.

“We will also provide immediate incentives to bring forward several larger residential apartment developments by Homes Tasmania, guaranteeing the purchase of 10 per cent of units off the plan to be managed as affordable rentals from at least one approved project in the south, north and north west.

“We’ve listened to local councils, and will work with them to secure finance while providing 40 per cent Homes Tasmania equity to provide key worker homes on agreed council land.

“Finally, we will continue the MyHome program to give home ownership opportunities to even more Tasmanians, with an increased maximum shared equities from $200,000 to $300,000, and lift the income limits by 25 per cent for co-owners to qualify for new construction from $107,580 to $134,475.

“Only a re-elected majority Liberal Government and our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future will make it easier for Tasmanians to own their own home.”

The total cost of this policy is $35 million.

Media release – Rebecca White MP, Labor Leader; Ella Haddad MP, Shadow Minister for Housing, 7 March 2024

The sky’s the limit: 2,000 new apartments to combat the housing crisis

After 10 years of the Liberals, young Tasmanians are shut out of the housing market. They’re paying ridiculously high rents and have given up hope of ever owning their own home.

A Rebecca White Labor government will do everything we can to make life easier for renters and help young people get a foot in the door of their first home.

We will encourage the construction of more apartments and medium-density developments – setting a target of 2,000 new apartments within the next four years.

We know young people especially would love to live in affordable apartments, close to the city, and in other areas too.

But right now, there are too many red tape and tax barriers preventing new apartments being built.

The first steps in Labor’s plan for 2,000 new apartments will be to:

  • Finalise an Apartment Code to guarantee planning approvals where designs meet agreed standards

  • Implement a “Three Strikes Rule” to prevent councils delaying developments with repeated requests for information

  • Provide a 50 per cent stamp duty concession for new apartments valued under $750,000, to make apartments more attractive and affordable for buyers

Labor’s number one priority is taking urgent action on the cost of living – and that includes taking a new approach to housing.

Media release – Rebecca White MP, Labor Leader; Ella Haddad MP, Shadow Minister for Housing, 8 March 2024

Building a better future with Labor’s plan for 2,000 new apartments

Labor’s top priority is taking urgent action on the cost of living – and that includes urgent action on housing.

Labor’s plan to build 2,000 new apartments will make life easier for renters, by getting more affordable apartments on the market, and give first home buyers a real shot at getting a foot in the door too.

That’s why I’m excited to announce further elements of our plan to build 2,000 new apartments over the next four years.

A Rebecca White Labor government will:

  1. Get more apartment developments off the ground by committing to purchase up to 20 per cent of new developments for use as social and government housing. This will provide certainty to apartment builders and help them secure finance for their much-needed projects. We’ll also remove the Liberals’ cap of one supported development per region over the next four years.

  2. Hold councils accountable for their role in approving new apartments and other housing by creating a “planning dashboard”, similar to health and housing dashboards. We will reward councils that perform well with additional funding for local infrastructure, and name and shame those who contribute to the housing crisis by blocking new developments.

  3. Get more people trained to build apartments, by providing a two-year funding extension for the Master Builders Association’s Hi-Vis Army training program. This program will include a strong focus on helping Tasmanians get Working at Heights qualifications.

After 10 years of the Liberals, rents are up more than $200/week, home ownership is getting further and further out of reach, and blockages in the planning and approvals system are worse than ever. If the Liberals haven’t taken action by now, they never will.

Labor has a plan for a better future – and that starts with urgent action on housing from day one.

Media release – Master Builders Tasmania, 7 March 2024

Liberals’ High Vis Army plan will help build Tasmania’s future

Master Builders Tasmania CEO, David Clerk, has welcomed the Liberals’ High Vis Army commitment and is supporting their ambitious plans to build more homes in Tasmania.

“We have a $27 billion infrastructure pipeline ahead of us, we have to build more than 3,000 homes a year just to keep up with population growth and we know that we need to do more to provide social and affordable homes to Tasmanians,” Mr Clerk said.

“To deliver all of that we will need a High Vis Army and that’s what the Liberals’ plan will help us achieve. We have a workforce of 25,000 in the building and construction sector at the moment, but we need to grow that to at least 40,000 if we’re going to build Tasmania’s future.

“Today’s High Vis Army announcement will help Master Builders Tasmania deliver more training, recruit more apprentices and provide the facilities that our booming industry needs.

“We also support the Liberals’ plan to boost home-ownership and encourage medium-density development. It’s incredibly important that we look at medium-density infill housing as a way to help tackle the housing shortage.

This financial year only 290 of the estimated 3,060 new dwelling starts will be medium-density housing, which is well below other states. This needs to improve if we’re going to tackle the housing challenge.”

Media release – Master Builders Tasmania, 8 March 2024

Master Builders Tas welcomes Labor’s support for High Vis Army

Master Builders Tasmania CEO, David Clerk, has welcomed Labor’s High Vis Army commitment and its policy for boosting the number of homes in Tasmania.

“We have a $27 billion infrastructure pipeline ahead of us, we have to build more than 3,000 homes a year just to keep up with population growth and we know that we need to do more to provide social and affordable homes to Tasmanians,” Mr Clerk said.

“To deliver all of that we will need a High Vis Army. Labor’s support is welcome and will help us increase our workforce from 25,000 to at least 40,000.

“Today’s High Vis Army announcement will help Master Builders Tasmania deliver more training, recruit more apprentices and provide the facilities that our booming industry needs.

“We also support Labor’s initiatives to support the construction of more homes including more medium-density infill housing as a way to help tackle the housing shortage.

This financial year only 290 of the estimated 3,060 new dwelling starts will be medium-density housing, which is well below other states. This needs to improve if we’re going to tackle the housing challenge.”