Media release – Jeremy Rockliff, Premier; Felix Ellis, Minister for Housing, Planning, and Consumer Affairs, 23 March 2025
Laying the foundations for a strong future
Today marks one year since the Tasmanian Liberal Government was elected for a historic fourth term.
“From day one, our Liberal Government has taken action on the things that matter most for Tasmanians like cost-of-living relief, improving health services, more housing options, a stronger economy and stronger communities,” Premier Rockliff said.
“Our Government has overseen the biggest healthcare recruitment blitz in Tasmania’s history, complementing our strong investment in improving access to general practitioners, dentists, mental health services and health infrastructure.
“We’ve helped hundreds of Tasmanians into their home with as little as a 2 per cent deposit through our highly successful MyHome program, and supported thousands of first home buyers to purchase a home without paying a cent of stamp duty.
“Through our Supercharged Renewable Energy Dividend, we’ve provided immediate cost of living relief to families and small businesses.
“We’ve delivered almost all the $605 million Midland Highway 10-Year Action Plan, and of course, Tasmania’s biggest transport infrastructure project ever, the Bridgewater Bridge.
“This Tasmanian Liberal Government has a clear vision of where Tasmania is going, and through our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future, Tasmania will remain the best place to live, work, raise a family, invest and do business.”
Minister for Housing, Planning, and Consumer Affairs, Felix Ellis, said the foundations have been laid to build Tasmania’s future over the last year.
“We have rolled out a suite of key housing and planning reforms that will see homes built, and projects created across the state – faster than ever,” Minister Ellis said.
“Our Government has an ambitious infrastructure agenda, with a $30 billion pipeline of works that will create jobs, back in business and drive our state forward.
“Our Liberal Government has laid the foundations for Tasmania’s future, and we will keep building, day by day, brick by brick.
“We’re only just getting started.”
Media release – Luke Edmunds MLC, Shadow Minister for Finance, Member for Pembroke, 23 March 2025
Spirits, debt and privatisation no cause for celebration
The first year of this Rockliff minority Government will be remembered for three things.
The biggest infrastructure stuff-up in Tasmania’s history, record debt and deficit bankrupting the state, and a disastrous plan to sell off state-owned assets to pay it down.
Today the Liberals once again talked about their ‘plan’ for the state, but what Tasmanians want to see is action.
Jeremy Rockliff’s Spirits fiasco, budget disaster and desperate plan to sell off assets has led to Tasmanians leaving the state in droves, with thousands of jobs being lost in a mismanaged economy.
After 11 years of the Liberals Tasmania needs change, not a government that pats itself on the back for continuing to fail to deliver.
‘Fast-tracked’ housing land sitting empty, three years on
Land in Warrane that was ‘fast-tracked’ for housing nearly three years ago by the Liberals is still sitting vacant, with no sign of development.
This is emblematic of a complete failure to deliver by the Liberal Government, with its latest update last year showing that it had only built six houses on land with ‘fast-tracked’ approvals in place statewide.
The Housing Supply Orders were introduced in 2018 to address Tasmania’s lack of housing supply. With only six new homes being constructed so far across multiple sites across the state, the tally is not even one per year – an absolute failure.
My constituents in Pembroke tell me time and time again that housing is one of their priority issues.
As the only renter in State Parliament who does not own property, I can relate to the challenges Tasmanians are facing when it comes to housing security in a tumultuous market.
I will keep on holding the Government to account when it fails to deliver on its promises to deliver housing.
