First reaction Press Releases on the forests issue have been published under Tasmania’s most divisive issue … still?
TRAC ATTACKS COUNCILS AND CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE OVER PULP MILL STANCE.
The Tamar Residents Action Committee has severely criticised Local Government and business representative groups in Launceston and George Town for their failure to make a submission to the Resource Planning and Development Commission’s Draft Scope Guidelines for a pulp mill at Longreach.
Those groups which failed to make a submission included the Launceston City Council, George Town Council along with the Chambers of Commerce in both Launceston and George Town as well as the Northern Tasmania Development board.
TRAC’s coordinator Mr.Les Rochester said the only council that attempted to do it at the last minute was the West Tamar Council.
“This is the biggest single private sector investment in Tasmania, that will have a significant impact on the health and well being of residents, and their elected representatives sit on their hands.
“It is outrageous.
“They had more than a month to get organised, read the Draft Scope Guidelines, and tighten up areas they found to cause them some concern, such as the provision of infrastructure and the impact of atmospheric emissions on the health of ratepayers,” Mr.Rochester said.
“By not putting in a submission the message they’re sending their communities is the guidelines are adequate, you don’t need to worry about them, trust us. They have effectively taken themselves out of the pulp mill debate.
The RPDC received more than 150 submissions from community groups, tourism operators and individuals to the Draft Scope Guidelines when they closed last week.
“If so many people found the Draft Scope Guidelines wanting in certain areas, why did the councils and the chambers of commerce fail to find anything that they could comment on.
“Is it complacency, lethargy ? or did they realise they had tied their own hands by voting in favour of the pulp mill before the Draft Scope Guidelines were released to the public,” Mr.Rochester asked.
Mr.Rochester said councils are the elected representatives of the people and the Chambers of Commerce and NTD board represent the business interests of their members including tourism operators, and it’s about time they started to represent them. .
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Nick McKim MHA
Friday, 20 MAY 2005
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION TO LIST DEVILS AS THREATENED SPECIES
The Tasmanian Greens today said that the Scientific Advisory Committee had made a preliminary recommendation to list the Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) as vulnerable on Tasmania’s Threatened Species register.
Greens Opposition Environment spokesperson Nick McKim MHA, who nominated the Tasmanian Devil on 11 April, said that he hoped that the preliminary recommendation would eventually result in a listing of the Devil as a Threatened Species.
“Often we need to acknowledge a problem before we can solve it, and I hope that the preliminary recommendation will be seen as a positive step in the fight to save the Devil.”
Mr McKim said that listing the Devils as a threatened species would have many positive outcomes including:
• Attracting further funding to assist the Devil, which should be allocated specifically to pathological research into TDFTD which is currently under-resourced;
• Furthering increasing community awareness about Tasmanian Devils and TDFTD, and increasing community debate and involvement in decisions and solutions aimed at ensuring the Devil’s long term survival;
• Ensuring proper consideration of the species in any planning and resource management decisions;
• Addressing key threatening processes, including clearance of native vegetation.
“The Committee’s preliminary decision to list the Devil as vulnerable is a vindication of the position that the Greens have taken all along, often in the face of Government criticism,” Mr McKim said.
Mr McKim said that he hoped that all Tasmanians could now work constructively to raise awareness of the problems facing the devil and restore pre-disease population levels.
ATTACHED: Notification of Preliminary Listing, Threatened Species Scientific Advisory Committee, 19 May 2005 (1 page).
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Tim Morris MHA
Friday, 20 MAY 2004
MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR REGIONAL AND RURAL STUDENTS IN BUDGET
Although Recognition of Pressure in Kingston Welcome
The Tasmanian Greens today said despite the welcome redevelopment of the Kingston High School the State Budget has missed an opportunity to address outstanding needs of regional and rural students.
Greens Opposition spokesperson for Education Tim Morris MHA said that teachers also deserved their successful push for additional funding for extra support and aid, which can only improve the high levels of education delivered.
“It is disappointing that the State Budget missed an opportunity to provide for much-needed integrative and access programs to address the obstacles faced by many regional and rural students,” Mr Morris said.
“It is good news overall that the State Government has shown to have listened to our hard working teachers’ calls for additional support.”
“It is very pleasing to see much needed additional funding for students with higher needs, as well as an increase in funding for school clusters to provide additional programs for students in low socio-economic areas.”
“The Greens welcome the proposed study into the redevelopment of the Kingston High School on a green fields site and possible flow on development at the Hobart College.” Mr Morris said
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Kim Booth MHA
Friday, 20 MAY 2005
GREENS BIOSECURITY, CHEMICAL AUDIT PRESSURE REWARDED
Yet Tasmanian Producers Left To Battle On Their Own
The Tasmanian Greens today claimed as a victory the increase in funding for the Quarantine barrier scheme in the State Budget but said that the lack of a Clean Green Agriculture support package for primary producers was a serious oversight particularly in light of the current onslaught by international producers and retailers on Tasmanian vegetable growers.
Greens Opposition Primary Industry spokesperson Kim Booth MHA said that continuation of the Chemical Usage Action Plan was also important recognition of how serious the concerns have been over water quality and contamination of waterways but that this was simply the first basic step in gathering baseline data
“It is pleasing to see Labor pick up the Greens’ funding commitment in our Alternative Budget last year and boost funding to the Quarantine section which is so vital to the State’s environmental integrity and agricultural sectors,” Mr Booth said.
“The government had been dragging its feet in even implementing the Gorrie Report, and we are now hopeful that the State is moving towards building a system capable of dynamic and flexible response in a swift manner.”
“However it is bitterly disappointing that there is no specific Clean, Green Agriculture support package for our primary producers, to assist them in the face of cheap Chinese imports.”
“The alarm bells are ringing for the state’s primary producers and yet the Government is still asleep on this issue. We may see the collapse of the $315 million vegetable industry in this state and yet this crisis seems to have gone unnoticed as there is no urgent action plan to invest in, protect and promote the integrity and marketing of Tasmanian product.”
“Such an initiative is urgently required to secure the ongoing viability of one of our most crucial sectors.”
“It is a vindication to see that chemical testing of waterways receives attention, which we will be continuing to scrutinise,” Mr Booth said.
“Water is becoming of critical importance to the Tasmanian community both in terms of quality and quantity and the government is grudgingly acknowledging this however whilst Tasmania remains unsigned to the National Water Initiative and hell bent on damning rivers and streams to provide short term solutions the government is committing us to unsustainable management techniques and is damaging the future water assets of the state”
“Our fully costed Alternative Budget to be released on Monday will address these issues.”
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Peg Putt MHA
GREENS OPPOSITION LEADER
Friday, 20 MAY 2005
AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGY TO BE ABANDONED FOR MACQUARIE BANK DEAL?
Public-Private Deals Controversial in Other States
The Tasmanian Greens today are concerned that the failure to fund Stage II of the Affordable Housing Strategy in the Lennon Budget is a harbinger of the abandonment of the plan when Stage 1 runs out in December in favour of a public-private partnership with Macquarie Bank.
Greens Opposition Leader and Treasury spokesperson Peg Putt MHA warned that under this scenario Tasmania could be caught with an ongoing commitment to excessive, secret repayments to the Bank which lock in future governments, after Tasmania having provided land for housing establishment which could well comprise a profitable entire suburb containing a quota of public/affordable housing.
The Greens outlined that Macquarie Bank is known as ‘the millionaires factory’ for its ability to cream off money from its operations and its penchant for paying its executives extraordinary high sums, and that public-private partnerships involving Macquarie Bank in other States had an odious reputation as the Bank profited hugely and the public purse suffered.
The government has already announced that they have entered an agreement with Macquarie Bank to investigate the feasibility of a partnership on housing, but were silent about this when they dropped the expected $60 million second stage of the Affordable Housing plan and must now come clean on whether a deal is in the offing.
“We are alarmed that the failure to fund Stage II of the Affordable Housing Strategy when it has been working well to provide low cost housing for battlers is because the government is getting into a deal with Macquarie bank for one of their infamous public-private partnerships,” Ms Putt said.
“Macquarie Bank is renowned for eating governments of smaller regions like Tasmania for breakfast, in their public-private partnership deals Macquarie Bank always does very nicely but the public benefit and the public purse have often come off second best amidst controversy.”
“Stage 1 of the Affordable Housing Strategy will be expended this December and it was important to provide for Stage 2 in the Budget or else there will be a hiatus although many people will still be on housing waiting lists.”
“We fear that the unnecessary review of the housing plan announced yesterday is cover for changing to the Macquarie Bank partnership whereby the Tasmanian government would provide land for housing development and underwrite a guarantee which will see future governments locked into ongoing payments at high rates in return for a quota of affordable, or public, housing within the development.”
“Be assured that such a deal is likely to be much better for the bank than for Tasmania, and we wonder what backroom deals have already been done.”
“This bank is widely known as the ‘millionaires factory’ in financial circles, they are expert at creaming off big profits and renowned for the enormous multi- million dollar earnings of their top executives,” Ms Putt said.
Note: The existence of an MoU between Housing Tasmania and Macquarie Community Partnerships for Macquarie to research new models of housing provision is noted at page 167, Budget Paper No. 2.
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Nick McKim MHA
Friday, 20 MAY 2005
WASTED OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS WASTE ISSUES IN BUDGET
The Tasmanian Greens today said that yesterday’s State Budget had missed a significant opportunity to address the systemic problems in Tasmania’s waste management system, with only an extra $900 000 over three years allocated to waste management.
Greens Opposition Environment spokesperson Nick McKim MHA said that the Government should have taken the opportunity to create a revenue source to fund waste management by announcing Container Deposit Legislation or at least a Statewide Waste Levy.
“Waste management in Tasmania is at a third world level, and this budget should have created a revenue stream to fund recycling and further diversion from the waste stream,” Mr McKim said.
“$300 000 per year over three years is ‘finger in the dyke’ stuff, and there is a desperate need for serious strategic thinking in the waste sector.”
“If Mrs Jackson is not prepared to implement CDL, she should take charge of the problem by announcing a Statewide waste levy as a first step.”
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Tim Morris MHA
Friday, 20 MAY 2005
STATE BUDGET WOEFUL ON DISABILITY SERVICES AND DENTAL CARE
The Tasmanian Greens today said that that the devil was in the detail of the State Budget when it came to the crucial area of Health, saying that while the Department as a whole received increased funding, the spending allocations on key areas such as disability services and dental health were woeful.
Greens Opposition Health and Human Services spokesperson Tim Morris MHA slammed the government for barely allocating 50% of the identified $1.3 million necessary to get dental health back on track, and said that an extra $5 million was needed in Disability services to get through the back log of people waiting for Independent Support packages.
Mr Morris also said that the government’s refusal to investigate a greenfields site for a new Hobart Hospital shows a severe shortage of social and economic foresight which will continue to impact upon the staff work environment, and patient care.
Crucial shortcomings in Health include:
• Dental Health still misses out with only an additional $856,000 when $1.3 million was identified as needed.
• Disability Services still short of funding to address Individual Support Packages waiting lists, estimated to be another $5 million worth.
• The Affordable Housing Strategy has not been boosted and Stage 2 has not been announced. Revenue from Government has only increased by 3.5%.
• No new funding for additional ambulances despite a 14% increase in demand.
• No investigation of a greenfields site for a new modern Hobart Hospital to address appropriate facilities for both staff and patients.
“The State Budget has missed the mark by a mile which it increases overall expenditure to the health department but fails to fund adequately the desperate hot spots such as dental health and disability services,” Mr Morris said.
“Welfare groups had identified a conservative figure of $1.3 million being needed to rebuild our dental services which have been allowed to disintegrate to an unacceptable condition, yet the government’s allocation of $856, 000 is barely 50% of the amount identified as the bare minimum required.”
“Two new dentist position is an improvement but makes a joke of getting through the backlog and ensuring a high quality of dental health enjoyed by all, sadly Tasmanians whose teeth are falling out will get no joy from this budget.”
“Again disability services have missed out on at least an extra $5 million needed to cut the waiting lists of people needing access to Individual Support packages, which in turn would help alleviate other support services struggling to fill the gap in the interim.”
“Funding to undertake planning for the future of the Royal Hobart Hospital is in important allocation, but we are disappointed that investigation of a greenfields site has not been considered. “
“While the additional 48 extra positions funded for the Mental Health sector is welcome, the critical test will be how soon the government can actually recruit to fill them, as unfortunately Labor has a track record of thinking that its job has been done just by creating positions.”
“Overall with the costs in the health sector rising at more than 7% per year, much of the additional expenditure will be used in keeping up with inflation in the sector, rather than rectifying areas which have been critically underfunded for too long,” Mr Morris said.
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Media Release
WILL HODGMAN, MHA
Shadow Minister for Economic Development
Friday May 20, 2005
Business disappointed with State Budget
Shadow Minister for Economic Development Will Hodgman today said the State Budget was a disappointing one for business, with the Lennon Labor Government preparing to reap more off the sector in terms of taxation than ever before.
It will cement the Lennon Labor Government’s position as the highest-taxing state government in Tasmania’s history.
Mr Hodgman welcomed Treasurer Paul Lennon’s concessions in terms of land tax but said that given the State Labor Government expects to reap even more in land tax in 2005/06 than it budgeted for in 2004/05 even with the cuts it could easily have handed back more.
He said business was extremely disappointed that in the biggest spending Budget in the State’s history, there was no room at all for payroll tax relief.
“Business keeps warning the Lennon Labor Government that it needs to invest in the engine room of the economy to keep the economic momentum going especially in light of warnings of dropping business confidence.
“But the Premier Paul Lennon simply has not listened. Indeed, Labor will reap an additional $25 million in payroll tax next financial year, bringing its total to almost $200 million.”
Mr Hodgman said continued funding for skills initiatives was vital, as was ensuring this money hit the ground with much more speed than it has done to date.
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PETER GUTWEIN, MHA
Shadow Minister for Education
Friday May 20, 2005
Education funding growth a con
– School class size commitment a joke
Shadow Education Minister Peter Gutwein today said that the Lennon Government’s claimed 8.3% growth in education funding was a con designed to mislead Tasmanian teachers and parents with school children.
Mr Gutwein said that the real growth in funding for schools was a mere 4.2%, barely enough to patch up the neglect of schools by recent State Labor Government Budgets.
“The Lennon Budget is basing its growth figure on budgeted figures from last year, but its knows that this funding was inadequate and required an injection mid-year,” Mr Gutwein said.
“This increase in the actual amount spent due to budget inadequacies means that comparing next financial year’s budgeted figure with last year’s and calculating a growth of 8.3% is misleading and deceptive.
“The real 4.2% growth in funding for education will go no way to making up for the $221 million that the Lennon Government has denied schools through its downgrading of its spending priority on education over the past seven years,” Mr Gutwein said.
“Of critical concern to parents and teachers will be the lack of additional funding for the reduction of class sizes.
“There is no doubt that reducing class sizes, particularly in the early years of schooling, has a positive link to increasing literacy and numeracy standards,” Mr Gutwein said.
“Yet all we see for class size reduction in Premier Lennon’s patch-up State Budget is a paltry $500,000 in additional funds, a woefully inadequate commitment.
“With literacy and numeracy results declining in Tasmania, there should have been a much greater commitment to class size reduction in all primary school classes.
“In contrast, the State Liberals are committed to a positive policy of reducing the existing cap on class sizes in Prep and Year to 20 students and extending the current Prep-One cap of 25 students to Years 2 to 6.
“It is disappointing that the Lennon Government and Education Minister, Paula Wriedt, failed to recognise the enormous benefit to both students and teachers by significantly investing in the reduction of class sizes in the State Budget,” Mr Gutwein said.
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Media Release
BRETT WHITELEY, MHA
Shadow Treasurer
Friday May 20, 2005
Vote-buying Budget con-job revealed
Shadow Treasurer Brett Whiteley today exposed Premier Paul Lennon’s second State Budget as a cruel hoax, describing it as a grave disappointment in many areas of dire need.
Mr Whiteley said Paul Lennon’s desperate patch-up attempt on the eve of a State election would actually be remembered as a con-job, and it was likely that public housing, dental and hospital waiting lists would worsen over the coming years because of this.
The crisis in child protection services is also likely to worsen, and the State Labor Government’s failure to provide any increased funding for smaller class sizes will do nothing to arrest the declining literacy and numeracy standards in our schools.
“Premier Lennon has tried to put out bushfires with a range of sweeteners as he prepares for an election, but the problem is so much of the money is either recycled or spread so thin or over so many years, that the real difference we need to see in areas of need, simply cannot and will not occur,” Mr Whiteley said.
“That this could occur at a time when the State Labor Government has never had it so good, and is awash in record GST and state taxation receipts, is a damning indictment of Paul Lennon’s performance as Treasurer.”
Even The centrepiece of the State Budget, the elimination of net debt, is severely tempered by revelations that the unfunded superannuation liability has blown out by almost $900 million, bringing total non-financial public sector net financial liabilities (total non-financial public sector net debt plus unfunded superannuation liabilities) to more than $5 billion in 2006.
Mr Whiteley said gaping holes had also emerged in the Health Budget, which the State Labor Government claims has enjoyed a 21 per cent increase in funding.
“Sadly, the reality is that health arguably our biggest area of crisis will only get half of this claimed increase, compared with what had to be spent last year, because of desperately needed rescue packages in areas of mental health, and specialists.
“The $35 million for the Royal Hobart Redevelopment Fund will only have $5 million spent next year, or just 14 per cent.
“And shamefully, at a time when more than 3000 Tasmanians are languishing on public housing waiting lists, the State Government has refused to commit funding for stage two of the Affordable Housing Strategy a four-year program launched by the late Premier Jim Bacon in December 2003.”
Mr Whiteley said the State Liberals warmly welcomed the tax cuts announced yesterday but even they were not all they seemed to be.
“Paul Lennon could easily have afforded to provide more relief in terms of land tax, and this is clearly evidenced by the fact that notwithstanding the cuts he has announced, land tax revenue will still increase by almost $13 million more than what it was just 18 months ago.”
The decision to continue stamp duty relief for first home buyers is also extremely welcome although the State Government’s provision of up to $4000 relief falls $1000 short of the State Liberals’ stamp duty relief policy announced in March last year.
And it is highly disappointing that not a cent in payroll tax has been provided in a year when Labor expects to reap an additional $25 million from this tax over last year’s Budget, up to a total of almost $200 million.
Mr Whiteley said the prospect of a new school at Kingston was very welcome news but at this stage it remained just that, a prospect.
However, the provision of 48 additional police would help address issues like our appalling rate of assaults.
Mr Whiteley said one of the biggest failures of Paul Lennon’s desperate pre-poll patch-up attempt Budget was its failure to invest in the future.
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Media Release
SUE NAPIER, MHA
Shadow Minister for Health and Human Services
Friday May 20, 2005
Health budget very patchy: real funding only up 10.9 per cent; just $5m of $35m Royal redevelopment fund to be spend next year; disability funding falls 200 individual support packages short
Shadow Health Minister Sue Napier today accused the arrogant Premier Paul Lennon of trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the Tasmanian community in relation to his so-called record funding for health.
The Lennon Labor Government is trying to paint its desperate patch-up attempt pre-poll Budget as injecting an additional 21 per cent into the crisis-torn health and human services sector.
But in reality, the increase amounts to just 10.9 per cent, because of the rescue packages that were required last year to top up in areas such as hospitals, mental health and children and families, and excluding the $15 million provided for ex-gratia payments for victims of child abuse.
Ironically, this 10.9 per cent increase in real funding is well less than the 22.7 per cent increase the Premier’s Department of Premier and Cabinet will receive in 2005/06.
Big ticket items, such as the $35 million redevelopment fund for the Royal Hobart Hospital, will actually see just $5 million spent next financial year.
There is no funding for the log of claims currently before the State Labor Government from allied health professionals, who rallied yesterday at Parliament House.
Much of the mental health funding is a recycled announcement from last year’s rescue package which the State Liberals shamed Labor into making, after it provided the pitiful amount of $1.7 million extra last year.
And while on the face of it, the funding for the disability services sector looks ok, according to the State Government’s own figures, it will fund only 100 of the 300 individual support packages needed.
The small increase in funding for public dental services will do little to rein in the appalling waiting lists, which now stand at around 10,000 people.
Meanwhile, the decision not to fund phase two of the Affordable Housing Strategy is disappointing at a time when more than 3000 Tasmanians are still languishing on public housing waiting lists trying to get a roof over their heads.
Mrs Napier said Paul Lennon was trying to make it appear as if he actually understood the needs in health, and had acted accordingly.
The reality is, tragically, a very different story.
“In true Labor form, the Budget for health in 2005/06 is more about spin, than substance, and an attempt to throw money at the many crises they have created,” Mrs Napier said.
“Premier Paul Lennon is trying to hoodwink people into voting for Labor at the coming election by falsely claiming to be taking the action needed to fix our health crisis.
“In this case, Premier Lennon is not even back-filling the holes caused by seven years of Labor neglect.”
Mrs Napier said that the 2004/05 Budget had an extra $75 million injected into it in 2004/05 in the form of several rescue packages so the actual increase in funding for health in 2005/06 would be only $96 million. While any extra any money for health is welcome, it is not enough, and it is not the 21 per cent increase Labor is claiming.
“What’s more, Labor has done nothing to reform the administration of health to ensure this additional funding actually hits the ground.
“Last year’s rescue packages still have not succeeded in hitting the ground where they are needed. It is a disgrace that Labor still has not learned from these mistakes. There is hardly a program that doesn’t carry forward unspent funds.”
Mrs Napier said the initiatives for hospitals were very much welcome, and long overdue but well short of the mark.
“The State Liberals have been calling for the provision of two extra operating theatres at the Royal, an expanded ICU, and associated facilities. In fact these measures were recommended among many others in the 2002 Strategic Asset Management Plan for the RHH, which has now been shelved in favour of another costly review.
“But it is disappointing that just $5 million of the $35 million Royal Hobart Redevelopment fund will be spent in the next financial year, or a mere 14 per cent.
Mrs Napier welcomed the commitment to employ additional staff at the hospital, given that the new specialists that have been employed in recent months have only just plugged the holes left by the mass exodus over the last 18 months.
However, she said it was reckless of the Lennon Labor Government not to budget for the improved working conditions for allied health professionals.
“I challenge the Lennon Labor Government to reveal how it plans to deliver community health services without the physiotherapists, podiatrists, social workers, mental health workers and the many other professions in the allied health professional workforce without addressing the workplace reforms identified in a report that they have sat on since 2003.
“They are already leaving in their droves. It is simply a false economy for the Labor Government to not allow for the attraction and retention packages that they know are needed for these workers.”
Mrs Napier said a close analysis of the State Budget funding for Health revealed it to be a bitter disappointment.
“It sounds good on the surface, but it takes only a brief examination to see the spin unravel,” Mrs Napier said.
“Premier Paul Lennon has tried to throw money in all directions in his big-spending pre-poll Budget but when it comes to health, he hasn’t even back-filled the holes caused by seven years of Labor neglect, let alone set our health system on a sound footing for the future.”
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Media Release
SUE NAPIER, MHA
Shadow Minister for Health and Human Services
Friday May 20, 2005
Affordable Housing delay fails the homeless
Shadow Health Minister Sue Napier today condemned the Lennon Labor Government’s misguided decision not to provide funding for stage two of the Affordable Housing Strategy in yesterday’s Budget.
The shock move comes as some 3200 Tasmanians languish on public housing waiting lists and as just 441 new homes have been built to replace the 1500 sold off or withdrawn by Labor in a frenzied and greedy bid to capitalise on the housing boom.
When it was launched in December 2003, former Premier Jim Bacon said the “much anticipated four-year Affordable Housing Strategy was the biggest single social package announced for a Tasmanian Government ever.”
Now its fate hinges on a review – Labor Government code for doing nothing .
Mrs Napier said there was no doubt that battling Tasmanians would suffer enormously as a result of the Lennon Labor Government’s failure to commit funds to see out the original four-year timeframe for the project.
“I cannot imagine what has prompted this arrogant and indifferent decision of the Lennon Labor Government not to commit to the continuation of this program a program Labor has hailed for the last year and a half.
“If Paul Lennon thinks the public housing crisis has gone away, he is even more out of touch than ordinary Tasmanians originally thought.
“There remain more than 3000 Tasmanians waiting for a roof over their heads as they languish on public housing waiting lists.
“And much of this is Labor’s own fault.
“When Labor took office, there were 13,500 Housing Tasmania properties. There are 12,500 now because Labor sold off or withdrew some 1500 properties in a bid to capitalise on the real estate boom. Only 441 new homes have been built to date.
“Meanwhile, the Budget Papers show the number of new applications by special need continues to grow for example in the area of disability, the number of applicants increased from 378 in 2002/03 to 1048 in 2003/04.”
Mrs Napier said the State Labor Government should have accelerated the Affordable Housing Strategy, rather than stall it, and subject it to a review. Tascoss and the housing sector had been calling for it to be brought forward for some time now.
“This decision will have a devastating impact on battling Tasmanians waiting for public housing.
“The Premier seems to believe that the public housing problem has gone away.This is a sign of how arrogant, incompetent and out of touch Paul Lennon and the State Labor Government is.
“The problem has actually gotten worse, which is why the Affordable Housing Strategy should have been accelerated.
“It is a disgrace that Paul Lennon has ignored the calls from the State Liberals, TasCOSS, Shelter Tas, the Housing Industry Association and others by not providing funding to continue with phase two of the program launched with such fanfare by the late Premier in December 2003.”
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Media Release
JEREMY ROCKLIFF, MHA
Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment
Friday May 20, 2005
Farmers forgotten again in
dud primary industries Budget
The Lennon Government’s State Budget has delivered Tasmania’s farmers, heading into their most challenging period in twenty-five years, little but a kick in the teeth, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment Jeremy Rockliff said today.
Mr Rockliff said that one of the major failures of the State Budget was its lack of funding for new primary industry initiatives or water development projects with the water resources unit actually seeing its budget cut by 12.5%.
“When we are facing drought like conditions in many parts of the State and the serious threat from overseas imports, this State Labor Budget will be a great disappointment to many farmers across the State with few new initiatives for water development or primary industries,” Mr Rockliff said.
“In fact, one of the few new Budget initiatives was a proposal to review water management fees and slug farmers with increased fees of $750,000.
“The State Liberals have been demanding for some time the need for sufficient funding, for Tasmania’s biosecurity.”
“I give the State Government half a tick for its biosecurity measures – they have at least got the rhetoric right – but just $4.8 million over four years to deliver on a much-needed biosecurity framework falls short of the mark.
“On so many counts, farmers are failed by this Lennon Government Budget. There is still no funding commitment to complement each strategy of the State of Growth plan; there is no money for the highly successful, though threatened Tasmanian Quality Assurance organisation; there is no new money for water development projects; and little in the way of new practical primary industry projects.
“With many forecasters predicting drought-like conditions and farmers experiencing well-below average rainfall, there is a desperate need for serious funding for water development.
“This patch-up State Budget delivers nothing new for water development projects. In fact, the best it can do for farmers is a funding cut for water management combined with a massive slug in water management fees and increased red tape, bureaucracy and regulation for farmers.
“There is no funding for the construction of major water development projects around the State nor is their any new assistance for farmers to ease the bureaucratic burden for the development of on farm water storage.
“Landcare volunteers around the State will also be very disappointed in the Labor Government for not taking the opportunity to match the Liberals commitment for $150,000 in annual funding for the Tasmanian Landcare Association.
“For an industry sector, such as primary industries, that delivers such wealth-generating capacity for Tasmania, farmers can only but feel completely dudded by the 2005 State Labor Government’s Budget,” Mr Rockliff said.
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Kim Booth MHA
Thursday, 19 MAY 2005
WEST TAMAR HIGHWAY TO REMAIN A DEATHTRAP
Too Little Too Late
The Tasmanian Greens today commented on the paucity of funding for the West Tamar highway allocation in the budget and expressed their disappointment that although some funding was announced, most was re-badged money unspent from last year.and would not be sufficient to bring the road to a safe standard.
Greens Member for Bass Kim Booth MHA said that the West Tamar highway will remain a death trap as long as the Lennon Labor government refuses to grip the nettle and do the job properly.
“Although the Supply river bridge replacement is welcome news it is a re-badged previous announcement and way overdue,” said Mr Booth
“$750.000 for new improvements to the West Tamar Highway is laughable when you look at the serious dangers facing travellers from Legana Park drive to Beauty point, and I am sure all those who have lobbied hard will be very disappointed.”
“It will not go unnoticed that the government is attempting to make a hero of itself, after allowing the roads and bridges to crumble, and then throwing a few crumbs to the squeaky wheels”
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Tim Morris MHA
Thursday, 19 May 2004
WIN FOR EDUCATION
Subheading in Title Case
The Tasmanian Greens today said that the Tasmanian education sector should be pretty satisfied with the result of the State Budget as it was in line with expectation, with it’s increase in funding of staffing capacity for clusters of schools to provide additional programs for students in low socio-economic areas, two new on-line centres, additional support for refugee and migrant students, and extra support for students with higher needs.
Greens Opposition spokesperson for Education Tim Morris MHA said that although there were always areas in more need this years budget had been reasonable in its spending for the Education Department.
“It is good news overall that the State Government has shown to have listened to our hard working teachers’ calls for additional support,” Mr Morris said.
“It is very pleasing to see much needed additional funding for students with higher needs, as well as an increase in funding for school clusters to provide additional programs for students in low socio-economic areas.”
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Tim Morris MHA
Thursday, 19 MAY 2005
SOME PROGRESS IN HEALTH
Still a Shortfall in Some Critical Areas
The Tasmanian Greens today were disappointed with key aspects of the Health and Human Services budget despite a significant boost to the overall funding for the Department.
Greens Opposition Health and Human Services spokesperson Tim Morris MHA said that some of the important areas that should have received additional funding include:
• Dental Services which only received an additional $856,000
• The Affordable Housing Strategy has not been boosted and Stage 2 has not been announced. Revenue from Government has only increased by 3.5% Tasmanians whose teeth are falling out will get no joy from this budget.
• No new funding for additional ambulances despite a 14% increase in demand.
“The best parts of the health budget appears to be the additional funding into services for people with disabilities by about $16 million, however there will be many who will miss out on Individual Care Packages,” Mr Morris said.
“The additional 48 extra positions in the Mental Health sector is most welcome, but we shall be closely watching to make sure the positions are actually filled.”
“Funding to undertake planning for the future of the Royal Hobart Hospital is in important allocation, but we are disappointed that investigation of a greenfields site has not been considered “
“Overall with the costs in the health sector rising at more than 7% per year, much of the additional expenditure will be used in keeping up with inflation in the sector.”
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Nick McKim MHA
Thursday, 19 MAY 2005
BUDGET LACKING IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND JUSTICE INITIATIVES
The Tasmanian Greens today labelled as inadequate the State Budget’s spending priorities relating to the environment and justice system, saying that after failing to complete a State Noise Policy as promised, the Government had completely failed to address community concerns over noise pollution.
Greens Opposition Justice and Environment spokesperson Nick McKim MHA said that the Community Corrections budget, which was essential to reducing prison populations, had again decreased as a percentage of the overall Corrections Services funding.
“The Government has at least recognised that excessive noise is a major issue for Tasmanians, but it is a pity that this Budget has missed another opportunity to create a noise unit within DPIWE,” Mr McKim said.
“There is clearly a massive problem with waste management in Tasmania, but precious little thought has gone into solving the problem, and practically no funding to increase recycling.”
“Prisons are full to overflowing, and this Attorney General has once again failed to think creatively about ways to decrease the strain on prison populations and custodial staff.”
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Kim Booth MHA
Thursday, 19 MAY 2005
QUARANTINE BOOST WELCOME BUT NO HELP FOR PRODUCE FARMERS IN STATE BUDGET
The Tasmanian Greens today claimed as a victory the increase in funding for the Quarantine barrier scheme in the State Budget but said that the lack of a Clean Green Agriculture support package for primary producers was a serious oversight.
Greens Opposition Primary Industry spokesperson Kim Booth MHA said that continuation of the Chemical Usage Action Plan was also important recognition of how serious the concerns have been over water quality and contamination of our waterways.
“It is pleasing to see Labor pick up the Greens’ funding commitment in our Alternative Budget last year and boost funding to the Quarantine section which is so vital to the State’s environmental integrity and agricultural sectors,” Mr Booth said.
“The government had been dragging its feet in even implementing the Gorrie Report, and we are now hopeful that the State is moving towards building a system capable of dynamic and flexible response in a swift manner.”
“However it is bitterly disappointing that there is no specific Clean, Green Agriculture support package for our primary producers, to assist them in the face of cheap chinese imports.”
“Such an initiative is urgently required to secure the ongoing viability of one of our most crucial sectors.”
“It is also a vindication to see that chemical testing of waterways receives attention, which we will be continuing to scrutinise,” Mr Booth said.
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Peg Putt MHA
GREENS OPPOSITION LEADER
Thursday, 19 MAY 2005
AFFORDABLE HOUSING BLACK SPOT
And Green Initiatives are Poor Cousins
The Tasmanian Greens today are disappointed that the Lennon government has failed to fund Stage 2 of the Affordable Housing program, put over $6 million towards the pulp mill including the propaganda campaign, and left out increases for more Rangers in National Parks and to support our clean, green agriculture against cheap chinese imports.
Greens Opposition Leader and Treasury spokesperson Peg Putt MHA is gratified that the Lennon Budget chose to invest along the lines recommended by the Greens into hospitals and educational facilities, but critical that public transport has missed out on a badly needed upgrade.
The Greens say Lennon is the fortunate beneficiary of years of belt-tightening under many governments since Michael Field pushed the need to get debt under control during the days of the Labor-Green Accord, and that it is not simply Labor’s doing that has led to today’s ability to give tax relief, increase spending, and end the debt burden next year.
“Affordable housing is still a crisis issue for battlers and Lennon’s failure to fund Stage 2 of the plan is a major problem, we don’t need a review when we know this has been working, we just need to get on with building more.”
“The Greens are offended by over $6 million going towards the pulp mill as corporate welfare for Tasmania’s most profitable company, including a continuation of the propaganda campaign.”
“The investment into hospitals and educational facilities was needed after years of belt-tightening under successive governments to get debt under control, but public transport missed out completely on an upgrade.”
“Tasmania’s clean, green status and our wilderness haven’t got what they really needed, no increased rangers and no help for our farmers to improve their competitiveness as clean producers against cheap Chinese imports.”
“The environment hasn’t quite got the windfall the spin doctors would have us believe, for example noise is a big community concern but $300, 000 in one year won’t go far.”
“And correctional services continues to be very focussed on imprisonment and again the percentage going into prisoner rehabilitation and community corrections has fallen, not good given the crying need to fund prevention.”
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Media Release
BRETT WHITELEY, MHA
Shadow Treasurer
Thursday May 19, 2005
Lennon’s high spending, patch-up Budget
propped up by massive GST windfalls
The high-spending State Budget, released today by the arrogant Lennon Government, demonstrates that without the Federal Government’s GST revenue windfall for Tasmania, the Budget would now be in serious deficit, Shadow Treasurer, Brett Whiteley said today.
“The State Budget reveals that GST revenue has increased from $1.379 billion in 2004-05 to $1.499 billion in 2005-06, an increase of $119.5 million or 8.7%,” Mr Whiteley said.
“The GST revenue windfall means that the Tasmanian State Government is better off by over $95 million in 2005-06 due to the Federal Government’s tax reform.
“Despite this massive windfall, in a desperate attempt by Premier Lennon to patch up years of past neglect on the eve of a State Election, he has even gone into deficit to fund his attempted vote-buying spree.
“Premier Lennon has used these massive increases in GST revenue as the central plank of his election warchest a $500 million warchest that he his spending a large proportion of in this Budget in preparation for an election.
“Despite the massive multi-million dollar GST windfall given to the Lennon Government, there are still major gaps in Premier Lennon’s State Budget that have not been filled including falling literacy standards, crumbling roads and sky-rocketing waiting lists in public housing.
The State Budget papers also reveal increased Federal Government payments to the State Labor Government. These included:
· an extra $2.9 million in National Competition Policy Payments;
· $12.3 million extra in the Tasmania’s Health Care Grant; and
· an increase of $25.2 million in Specific Purpose Payments.
“This amounts to a very welcome gift to the Lennon Government of $2.15 billion from the Federal Government or $159.9 million extra.
“Quite simply, Premier Lennon’s patch-up Budget, on the eve of an election, comes largely courtesy of the Howard Coalition Government and without this windfall, Tasmania’s Budget would be further in deficit to fund his attempted vote-buying spree,” Mr Whiteley said.
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Media Release
RENE HIDDING, MHA
Leader of the State Opposition
Thursday May 19, 2005
Premier’s pre-poll patch-up attempt
Today’s State Budget is a desperate attempt by Premier Paul Lennon to patch up seven years of past neglect on the eve of a State election.
It is a blatant attempt at vote-buying from an arrogant Premier who is so out of touch with the community he seems to think that Tasmanians will forget the way Labor has forgotten them for the last seven years.
The Premier has even gone into deficit to fund his attempted vote-buying spree.
There is cash being spent in all directions, there is no vision for the future apart from money to try to put out bushfires.
Opposition Leader Rene Hidding said general government net debt would be eliminated by June 30 next year but total State sector net debt would still come in at $1.412 billion at the end of next financial year.
The Premier claims to be spending record amounts on health but he made exactly the same claim last year. The problem was the funding never hit the ground because of the incompetent administration of the Lennon Labor Government. Further bail-outs were needed, but they too have been swallowed up by the bureaucracy and the huge areas of need remain.
While the upgrade of the Royal Hobart Hospital is welcome, albeit long overdue, it will take a considerable amount of time for this to come on line.
There is nothing in today’s Budget to suggest that anything will change in the crisis-torn health sector in the year ahead.
Indeed, if last year’s “record-health spending” guide is anything to go by, the public health system will continue to lurch into crisis, specialists will continue to leave and waiting lists will continue to soar.
And tellingly in terms of the Premier’s warped priorities, his department of Premier and Cabinet received a bigger funding increase (22.7 per cent) than the Department of Health and Human Services (21 per cent). Funding for the unnecessary and bureaucratic Tasmania Together Statutory Board has doubled to $1.2 million, and funding for the wasteful Canberra office has also increased by 23 per cent.
Mr Hidding said it was appalling that with some 3000 Tasmanians remaining on the public housing waiting lists, there was no extra funding for the Affordable Housing Strategy. There is no additional money to reduce our class sizes, despite falling education standards.
There is also no new money for sorely needed road infrastructure projects, such as the dangerous West Tamar and Lyell Highways.
And positive initiatives such as land tax cuts and the continuation of stamp duty relief for first home buyers have only been included in the State Budget because of sustained pressure from the State Liberals.
Mr Hidding welcomed the cuts to land tax although the highest taxing State Government in Tasmania’s history could easily have afforded more especially as land tax revenue is budgeted to increase from $33 million this financial year, to $38 million next year.
Payroll tax receipts are expected to total almost $200 million in 2005/06 up 14.5 per cent but there is no relief for business yet again.
And this is in spite of the fact that Labor expects to reap more than $62 million more in taxation in 2005/06 up to $669 million.
Mr Hidding welcomed increased funding for disability services, mental health, additional police officers, education capital works, the TSO, and other previously announced measures such as the long-overdue Sisters Hills Road.
But he said it was a blatant attempt at vote-buying that spent up big in areas where the State Labor Government had no choice but to patch up areas of past neglect and their own mistakes.
“If Premier Paul Lennon thinks Tasmanians are so gullible as to take this blatant vote-buying bait, after Labor has turned its back on their basic needs for seven long years, he is even more arrogant and out of touch than we previously thought.
“The State Liberals have been warning for a long time now that the State Labor Government has been hoarding away the cash in order to hand down a big-spending Budget to try to buy votes at the next election.
“And this is exactly what we have witnessed today, courtesy of record GST and Federal Government payments, and a windfall in taxation receipts from the highest-taxing State Government in Tasmania’s history.
“The problem is that while this arrogant Premier hoarded away the dollars, he also accumulated the need, cynically creating crises of his own making everywhere you look, from the health sector, to education, infrastructure and justice.
“We predicted that when the crises became disasters, the Lennon Labor Government would try to ride in, like a white knight, with its stashes of cash to try to magically resolve the problems and make itself out to be the big electoral hero.
“But by accumulating the need, the disasters have become so massive, they need even more funding to even try to patch up than otherwise may have been required.
“And shamefully, by also accumulating the need, the lives of ordinary Tasmanians have suffered terribly as a result.”
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JOHN HOWARD’S FIRM HAND ON THE SHOULDER OF PAUL LENNON’S BUDGET
‘How the GST has bankrolled State Budget tax cuts and the pre-election spending spree’
Thursday 19 May, 2005
The largesse in the Tasmanian State Budget is a product of windfall GST payments to Tasmania, Senator Guy Barnett said today.
“At least three of the tax cut measures the Premier has rebadged as State Government initiatives are actually those tax measures which Federal Treasurer Peter Costello insisted the states abolished using GST windfall payments,” Senator Barnett said.
“And one of the tax measures – non-real property business conveyance – has been pushed out to 2008 when the agreement among the States involved it being abolished on 1 July 2007,” he said.
The GST will deliver $644 million in windfall payments over the next four years – enough to deliver the tax cuts alluded to by the Premier in his Budget speech, with $415 million left over to help pay for the Budget spending spree.
“Only the firm actions of the Howard-Costello team in terms of GST funding and economic management has allowed the Premier to dangle a mixture of election tax cuts and spending sweeteners in front of the electorate,” Senator Barnett said.
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Kim Booth MHA
Thursday, 19 May 2005
OUTRAGE OVER PROBLEM GAMBLERS STRUGGLE FOR HELP
Greens Call for Venue Staff to Receive Compulsory Training in Legal Responsibilities
The Tasmanian Greens today described as deeply disturbing recent revelations that self-inflicted problem gamblers who sought assistance to have themselves banned from gaming venues were unable to obtain that help, and have reiterated their call for an independent social and economic study into pokies in pubs and clubs
Greens Opposition Gaming spokesperson Kim Booth MHA said that the inappropriate response of the venue to the self ban request, plus the lack of any record that the exclusion request form had been lodged with the Gaming Commission confirmed concerns that the regulation of gaming is ineffectual and inadequate.
Mr Booth also said that while the Minister’s assurance that the incidents would be investigated was a positive step, it was insufficient to merely excuse the inappropriate behaviour of the venue manager as a “misunderstanding”, and that steps should be taken to require that managers attend training in their legal obligations.
“It is a serious indictment upon this State’s culture of turning a blind-eye to problem gambling, and the ineffectiveness of the regulatory system, when people seeking help from inflicting further self-harm are discouraged from doing so, “ Mr Booth said.
“It is shocking that these two individuals were apparently first laughed at by the venue managers when they sought an exclusion form, and were then later told that the paper-work could not be found.”
“That there was no record that the exclusion form had been lodged with the Gaming Commission six months after it was submitted, once the women successfully obtained the form, reveals a serious breakdown in our regulatory system.”
“Venues are legally required to provide an exclusion form upon request from a patron and to lodge it officially with the Tasmanian Gaming Commission within seven days, so for the venues to fail to do so is a breach of the law.”
“As a minimum the Minister should be requiring that the staff of the venues in question receive compulsory training regarding problem gambler assistance and exclusion form legal requirements.”
“This incident also shows why we must have the much needed independent social and economic impact study into the expansion of pokies in pubs and clubs.”
Mr Booth also said that the Labor State Budget today should cut their tax revenue-reliance from the pokies take, as the Greens have demonstrated can be done in their previous two Alternative Budgets.
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Media Release
SUE NAPIER, MHA
Shadow Minister for Health and Human Services
Thursday May 19, 2005
Access to breast screening
service needs improvement
Shadow Minister for Health and Human Services, Sue Napier has today raised the issue of all Tasmanian women under forty years of age and with a family history of breast cancer having free access to breast screening services.
Mrs Napier said that a number of women had recently approached her about the fact that, unless a doctor’s referral is provided, Tasmanian women under forty years of age and with a family history of breast cancer have to pay for breast screening.
“All women with a family history of breast cancer must not have any barriers placed in front of them when it comes to breast screening,” Mrs Napier said.
“It appears that this is not currently the case and I have asked the Health Minister, David Llewellyn to investigate this problem.
“The recent publicity regarding breast cancer has highlighted the dangers of this terrible disease and the need for regular breast screening, especially amongst those with a family history of breast cancer.
“All governments have a responsibility to ensure that these women most at risk to breast cancer are provided with an uninhibited, breast screening service,” Mrs Napier said.
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Thursday May 19, 2005
Grant to help Simplot produce healthier potato products
Simplot Australia is developing healthier potato products at its North-West processing plants with the aid of a major Australian Government Food Innovation Grant announced today.
The Federal Member for Braddon, Mark Baker MP, announced the $917,786 grant on behalf of the Coalition Government at Simplot’s Ulverstone plant today.
“Simplot is investing about $1m of its own funds into the research and development of healthier potato products and through our Food Innovation Grants (FIG) scheme, the Howard Government will be providing close to matching funding for this initiative,” Mr Baker said.
“The FIG scheme recognises the market potential of new products and helps companies such as Simplot take research and development to the next level of commercialisation by sharing the risks associated with innovation.
“Simplot Australia’s $1.916m project, which commended in January and will run for two and a half years, responds to the demands of consumers and the concerns of public health experts for healthy and nutritious food and will enhance Australia’s reputation as a leader in sustainable practices.
“For the North-West, this project demonstrates yet again the innovation of the Coast’s primary producers and the potential for growth in the industry.”
Mr Baker said the funding for Simplot represented more than 20 per cent of the total monies allocated nationwide under the Howard Government’s latest round of the FIGs.
“Clearly, this is a major investment by the Coalition Government in the North-West’s primary industries, and it builds on recent grants to the University of Tasmania to establish a new agricultural research centre in Burnie and to the Devonport-based company Serve-Ag for soil nutrition product development,” he said.
“Our primary industries are the backbone of the North-West economy, and while it has always been said that Australia once rode on the sheep’s back, on the Coast we owe much of our early development to the humble potato.
“The fact is that the best potatoes in the world are grown right here in North-West Tasmania.
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“And Simplot deserves to be congratulated for not only recognising that fact, but for its efforts to produce healthier potato products which will meet growing consumer demand.”
Mr Baker said the FIG scheme was part of the Australian Government’s $102.4m National Food Industry Strategy (NFIS) and provides project recipients with grants of up to $1.5m on a matched funding basis for innovative food industry projects.
He said over the seven rounds of the FIG scheme more than $71m had been invested, including more than $30m in direct contributions from the Australian Government.
“The Coalition established the National Food Industry Strategy as a five-year action agenda to drive value-added exports in the food chain, and FIG grants are one part of helping us meet that objective,” Mr Baker said.
“All of the FIGs projects will provide significant growth opportunities for the Australian food industry, through increased export potential and reduced costs. FIGs projects are providing significant growth opportunities for the Australian food industry which employs thousands of Australians
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Nick McKim MHA
Thursday, 19 MAY 2005
GREENS CLAIM VICTORY FOR PRISONERS’ RIGHTS
As Labor Accepts Greens’ Amendment
A Tasmanian Greens’ amendment to protect prisoners’ rights was today accepted in the House of Assembly by Attorney General Judy Jackson.
Greens Opposition Justice spokesperson Nick McKim MHA, who moved the amendment, said that Tasmanian prisoners would now maintain their rights to access the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund if they are beaten or assaulted while in custody.
“Under the Government’s original proposal, Tasmanian prisoners who were beaten or assaulted in jail would have been denied the right to access the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund,” Mr McKim said.
“Tasmanian prisoners and remandees now have the same rights to access the Criminal Injuries Compensation Funds as other Tasmanian citizens.”
The Government Bill successfully amended by the Greens was the Criminal Injuries Compensation Amendment Bill 2005.
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Peg Putt MHA
GREENS OPPOSITION LEADER
Thursday, 19 May 2005
LENNON’S FAILURE TO DENY MEETING CONDEMNS HIM
Ministerial Accountability Issue Will Dog Him
The Tasmanian Greens today have criticised the Premier’s continued stonewalling over the Ken Bacon matter as he again failed to confirm or deny whether a meeting took place between himself, his senior advisor, the former Tourism Minister and his senior advisor prior to the TT Line Estimates Committee, or whether the instruction for the Minister to avoid answering questions was given.
Greens Opposition Leader Peg Putt MHA believes that the Premier’s consistent refusal to deny that the events took place leads to the conclusion that they did occur, and that the Premier is attempting to tough out his undermining of Ministerial accountability to Parliament.
“The serious matter of the Premier’s undermining of Ministerial accountabili
