Key points
To build a stronger future for Tasmania, our Plan will deliver a strong and growing economy.
We have pledged to create 1.3 million more jobs over the next five years across the country. Our Plan for Tasmania will help achieve this through tax relief for workers and small businesses, investment in better roads and freight rail, and support for industries that will be critical to Tasmania’s future like renewable energy, manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
A strong economy will enable us to continue making record investments in Tasmania’s health and essential services, including record funding for hospitals. It also allows us to invest in stronger defence, security and borders.
Under the Morrison Government, Australia’s economic recovery is leading the world on almost every measure – economic growth, jobs growth and debt levels.
Our economic plan has already helped the Tasmanian economy overcome the biggest economic shock since the Great Depression, with unemployment in the state at 4.5 per cent – compared to 8-per cent when Labor, supported by the Greens, was last in government. There are more than 31,000 more Tasmanians in work today than under Labor.
Our strong economic management means Australia is one of a small number of countries to maintain a AAA credit rating from all three major ratings agencies. This has allowed us to deliver lower taxes to around 63,000 Tasmanian small businesses and 232,000 individuals, to invest more than $4.5 billion since 2013 in infrastructure projects such as upgrades to the Bass Highway, Midland Highway and Murchison Highway, and to provide record levels of funding for Tasmanian hospitals and schools. But there is much more to be done.
A re-elected Coalition will continue to build a stronger Tasmanian economy by:
- Providing lower taxes and immediate cost of living relief for families and pensioners, with around 222,000 Tasmanians to receive tax relief of up to $1,500 this year, a one-off $250 cost of living payment for those most in need, and 22 cents per litre off fuel excise for six months.
- Delivering lower taxes to boost investment for around 63,000 Tasmanian businesses.
- Investing a further $639 million in Tasmania’s road and freight rail infrastructure pipeline, supporting more than 2,500 jobs and bringing total funding to over $4.5 billion for 98 projects.
- Building Tasmania’s manufacturing industries, including $50 million to secure the future of Nyrstar’s operations.
- Growing the emerging hydrogen sector with up to $70 million for the Tasmanian Green Hydrogen Hub Project at Bell Bay.
- Unlocking Tasmania’s potential as a renewable energy powerhouse by making additional investments in the Marinus Link and Battery of the Nation projects.
- Investing to attract international and domestic tourists back to Tasmania.
- Growing Tasmania’s forestry and forest products sectors – including an Australia-wide National Institute for Forest Products Innovation, with a central hub in Launceston – and backing the growth of Tasmania’s agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture industries.
- Guaranteeing the continuation of the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme.
- Securing Tasmania’s place as a hub for Antarctic research and operations.
- Helping more Tasmanians buy their first home by allowing them to use up to 40 per cent of their superannuation to get into the property market, and removing barriers for Australians downsizing to residences that better suit their needs and lifestyle, and helping to free up larger homes for younger families.
- Continuing to invest in mobile blackspots and broadband upgrades.
A strong economy means we can guarantee essential services:
- Improving northern Tasmania health services, including $15 million to upgrade and expand the Royal Flying Doctor Service Launceston base.
- Record funding for the Tasmanian health system including hospitals, medicines (including a $10 cut to the price of medications listed on the PBS), Medicare, more access to MRI machines, a once-in-a-generation reform to aged care and expanding the Early Psychosis Youth Services mental health program into Tasmania.
- Record funding for Tasmanian schools and expanding apprenticeship wage subsidies.
- $7.5 million for Veteran Wellbeing Centres and services across Tasmania.
- Growing Tasmania’s defence industries, including a key defence contract with Elphinstone.
- Record funding for defence with funding to be maintained above 2 per cent of GDP.
- Strong border policies to disrupt people smuggling and prevent illegal maritime arrivals.
- Keeping Tasmanians safe in their homes and local communities, with further action to improve online safety, prevent local crime and end domestic violence.
A strong economy will also enable us to invest to keep Tasmanians safe:
In stark contrast, Labor has no economic plan for Tasmania.
When Labor was last in power, supported by the Greens, Tasmanians suffered more than most.
The Tasmanian unemployment rate peaked at 8.8 per cent, interest rates were higher, jobs were destroyed, new taxes were introduced and industries like forestry were decimated.
Labor leader Albanese would be too weak to stand up to the Greens and the unions. He has also argued for higher taxes on retirees, housing, families and inheritances.
Labor’s economic and budget mismanagement also means the essential services Tasmanians rely on, such as health, education and road infrastructure, would be put at risk.
In uncertain times, Tasmania can’t risk Labor.
Our Plan
1. Lower taxes and cost-of-living relief for families and retirees
The pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and extreme weather events are putting upward pressure on the cost of goods in Australia. This is having a direct impact on family budgets.
The Morrison Government is committed to additional tax and cost-of-living relief that will help Tasmanian families and retirees pay their bills, buy their groceries and fill up their car.
These measures build on our substantial cost-of-living action to date, including tax cuts benefiting around 232,000 Tasmanian workers and child care reforms that have reduced average hourly out-of-pocket costs in Tasmania by 4 per cent since 2018.
A re-elected Coalition Government will deliver lower taxes and cost-of-living relief for Tasmanian families and retirees through:
- Tax relief for low and middle income earners. Around 222,000 Tasmanians will benefit from further tax relief of up to $1,500 this year, with the $1,080 low and middle income tax offset plus a new one-off $420 cost of living tax offset.
- Cost-of-living payments. The Morrison Government is delivering a one-off, cost-of-living payment of $250 for Austrailans most in need. In Tasmania, these payments will go to around:
- 72,000 pensioners
- 9,000 Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders
- 9,000 carers
- 27,000 disability support recipients
- 24,000 jobseekers
- Cheaper fuel. Tasmanian motorists will save at least 22 cents a litre every time they fill up their car for the next six months, with a temporary halving of the fuel excise rate. This could mean a saving of $30 a week for a family with two cars, or $700 over six months.
- Child care. The removal of the annual cap on the Child Care Subsidy and increased subsidies for second and subsequent children will benefit an estimated 4,500 Tasmanian families in 2022-23.
- Cheaper medicines. We’ve made 960 new or amended medicine listings on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme since 2019 and more than 2,900 since 2013. We are lowering the threshold for the PBS Safety Net from 1 July 2022, saving 2.4 million Australians over $80 a year.
- Lower tax guarantee: $100 billion in tax relief to workers over the next four years and no new taxes on Australian workers, retirees, superannuation, small businesses, housing or electricity.
2. Lower taxes for Tasmanian small businesses
The Coalition will grow small businesses and create more jobs in Tasmania with tax relief to support business investment.
Around 63,000 Tasmanian small businesses are already benefiting from our existing tax relief measures. These include around 13,500 small companies that have received a permanent reduction in the company tax rate, from 30 per cent under Labor to 25 per cent from 2021-22 under the Coalition Government.
A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to deliver lower taxes for Tasmanian small businesses through:
- Technology Investment Boost. Around 63,000 Tasmanian businesses will be encouraged to go digital with access to our new bonus 20 per cent deduction on expenses and depreciating assets such as computers, online sales platforms, accounting software, cyber security and cloud computing. The boost applies from Budget night until 30 June 2023, for expenses up to $100,000 per year.
- Skills and Training Boost. To help with the costs of training and upskilling their employees, at least 12,400 Tasmanian small businesses will have access to a new 20 per cent bonus deduction for eligible external training courses. The boost applies from Budget night until 30 June 2024, and is uncapped.
- Extending the instant asset write-off. We will continue the instant asset write off until 30 June 2023, supporting around 63,000 Tasmanian businesses to write-off the full value of any eligible asset they purchase.
- Extension of loss carry back. Around 13,500 small Tasmanian companies can offset losses against previously taxed profits to generate a refund for a further year in 2022-23, supporting cash flow and confidence, more investment in the local economy and jobs.
3. Building better and safer roads and freight rail
The Morrison Government is continuing to invest in Tasmanian road and freight rail projects that create jobs, drive economic growth, and keep commuters and freight safe and moving.
Our additional investments bring our Government’s total infrastructure investment in Tasmania since 2013 to more than $4.5 billion across 98 road and freight rail projects, with 52 projects completed.
Coalition-funded transport infrastructure currently under construction in Tasmania is expected to support around 750 jobs over the life of the projects, providing certainty and security for businesses and communities.
A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to make record investments in Tasmania’s infrastructure pipeline, with a further $639 million committed to projects supporting more than 2,500 direct and indirect jobs over their construction life, including:
- $336 million for the Tasmanian Roads Package - Northern Roads Package - Stage 2.
- $100 million for the Great Eastern Drive Tourism Support - additional packages.
- $96 million for the Tasmanian Freight Rail Revitalisation Program - Tranche 4.
- $56 million for the Tasmanian Roads Package - Tasman Highway Sideling Upgrade - Stage 2.
- $24 million for the Bell Bay Line - reconnection to the Bell Bay Wharf.
- $14.4 million for the Melba Line Bulk Minerals Rail Hub.
- $13.5 million for the Hobart - Northern Transit Corridor Solution.
4. Growing Tasmania’s sovereign manufacturing capability
Our Modern Manufacturing Strategy is a key part of the Coalition’s plan for a strong economy and stronger future for Tasmania.
Creating sovereign manufacturing capability and securing our supply chains will not only strengthen Tasmania’s economy and create more jobs, but boost national resilience to global supply chain disruptions and security threats.
A re-elected Coalition Government will:
- Invest $50 million to help secure the future of Nyrstar’s operations. Our contribution towards the $400 million expansion of the Nyrstar smelter will help secure around 500 direct Tasmanian jobs and over 5,000 indirect jobs across Tasmania and other parts of Australia for generations to come. The project will also create hundreds of jobs during the construction phase.
- Invest in Tasmanian manufacturers through the Modern Manufacturing Initiative, including $7.58 million to Alcore for the recycling of aluminium smelter bath waste into valuable chemicals, $5.96 million for Naturo for a new patented milk processing technology, $4.5 million to Lark Distilling to expand whisky production and $1.9 million to Marinova to produce high purity seaweed extracts used in medical products.
- Provide new opportunities for Tasmanian manufacturers through the more than $1-billion in additional funding we have committed to our Modern Manufacturing Strategy in the 2022-23 Budget.
5. Unlocking Tasmania’s potential as a renewable energy powerhouse
The Morrison Government is unlocking Tasmania’s potential as a renewable energy powerhouse – and creating thousands of new jobs – with further investment in the Marinus Link electricity interconnector and the Battery of the Nation project. We are also positioning Tasmania to be a key part of the emerging hydrogen sector.
Tasmania is already a major renewable energy producer, generating 100 per cent of its electricity from renewables – predominantly hydro-electric generation.
Our investments are positioning Tasmania to double its renewable energy by 2040 which will enable it to export energy to the mainland, creating even more jobs at home while supporting energy affordability, reliability and emissions reduction across the National Electricity Market (NEM).
A re-elected Coalition Government will:
- Invest a further $75 million to progress Marinus Link to a Final Investment Decision and through the next stages of planning, design and approvals. The project will export 1,500 MW of fast-start, reliable hydroelectricity from Battery of the Nation and across Tasmania into other regions of the NEM when it is most needed.
- Provide $65 million to upgrade the Tarraleah hydro power scheme redevelopment in Tasmania’s Central Highlands, the first of the Battery of the Nation projects. The project will deliver reliable renewable energy capacity to the NEM and bring the Coalition’s total commitment to Battery of the Nation to $206 million.
- Invest up to $70 million for the Tasmanian Green Hydrogen Hub Project at Bell Bay. It’s expected that around 1,000 jobs will be needed under the initial operation of the hub, with many more jobs to be created as the industry scales up. We are also investing up to $3 million for Origin Energy Future Fuels Pty Ltd’s Green Ammonia Project for Export (GRAPE) Bell Bay project
6. Strengthening Tasmania’s forestry sector
Australia is leading the world in the sustainable management of our forests, supporting growth and creating jobs in regional communities, particularly in Tasmania.
The Morrison Government has worked in lockstep with industry to grow Tasmania’s forest industry and support the 5,700 people employed in the sector.
Our record is clear: we supported the repeal of Labor’s harmful Tasmanian Forests Agreement, established the North and North West Tasmania Regional Forestry Hub, and will not support any shutdowns of native forestry.
A re-elected Coalition Government will invest:- $106.6 million to establish an Australia-wide National Institute for Forest Products Innovation, with a central hub in Launceston and up to five Centres of Excellence nationwide and to extend funding for the Regional Forestry Hubs.
- $112.9 million in a Wood Processing Innovation Program to help our forest industries increase productivity, process more of our domestically grown timber onshore, and drive investment to create jobs.
- $86.2 million in a Plantation Establishment Program to establish commercial plantation species that have a known commercial pathway to processing facilities within the Regional Forestry Hub regions, including Tasmania.
7. Backing agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture
Agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture have always played an important role in Tasmania’s economy, from the Midlands and the Meander Valley to the rich estuaries and coastal waters. Under the Coalition Government, these industries will continue to grow and create more jobs.
We are backing in the industry goal to grow Australia’s agriculture sector to $100 billion by 2030. Only the Coalition has a plan to help the sector get there, and Tasmania’s primary industries will play a major role.
A re-elected Coalition Government will:
- Boost agricultural trade opportunities via our new free trade agreements with the UK and India. We will also reduce the cost and time of exporting for Tasmanian food and fibre industries, with a further $187.1 million to build a world-class cross-border trade system.
- Continue to back the roll-out of Tasmanian Irrigation Tranche 3 schemes (which include the Northern Midlands, Tamar, Don, Fingal and Sassafras-Wesley Vale projects) supported by our investment of over $100 million.
- Guarantee no adverse changes to fuel tax credit arrangements, which are so important to the agricultural sector.
- Ensure Tasmania has access to the agricultural workforce it needs by continuing to deliver the Australian Agriculture Visa.
- Bring young Australians back into farming by piloting an 18-month, $75 million Future Farmer Guarantee Scheme to support farmers into first-time ownership. Under the scheme, the Government will guarantee 40 per cent of an eligible new farmer’s commercial loan up to a maximum value of $1 million.
- Support research and development into offshore aquaculture opportunities in Commonwealth waters in the Bass Strait, through a partnership with the Tasmanian Government and Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre.
8. Attracting tourists back to Tasmania
As the world reopens, we want to ensure Australia is at the top of the must-see list. That means drawing tourists back to the beauty and culture of Tasmania.
Before the pandemic, Tasmania was riding a tourism wave with a record 1.3 million visitors a year including 300,000 from overseas.
The Morrison Government’s $20 billion of assistance to the Australian tourism and hospitality sector since March 2020 included JobKeeper, the Cash Flow Boost, and targeted programs such as the Consumer Travel Support Program, Zoos and Aquariums Program, Business Events Grants, Recovery for Regional Tourism and Tourism Aviation Network Support. We also provided $13.5 million to Tasmania under the Recovery for Regional Tourism fund in 2020 as part of our support for COVID-19 relief and recovery.
We’re now providing additional support.
A re-elected Coalition Government will:
- Support Tourism Australia to attract international tourists back to key regional destinations heavily impacted by the loss of international tourism, such as Tasmania, supported by $45 million of additional funding provided in the 2022-23 Budget. This includes support for advertising in crucial international markets, direct partnerships with wholesalers, airlines and media, and attracting international business events.
- Boost the number of Working Holiday Makers through a one-off 30 per cent increase across all country caps in 2022-23. This will help Australian retail, hospitality, tourism and hotel operators tackle workforce shortages.
- Invest $75 million for Round 3 of the COVID-19 Consumer Travel Support Program to support travel agents and tour arrangement service providers.
9. Guaranteeing the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme
The Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme aims to create an even playing field for Tasmanian businesses and consumers. We want to ensure they are not disadvantaged by Bass Strait shipping costs.
The opportunities for Tasmanian businesses are huge. The scheme helps promote investment and jobs, particularly across the manufacturing, mining, forestry, agriculture and fisheries sectors. It delivered over $168 million in assistance in 2020-21.
Our Government has expanded the scheme for Tasmanian goods transhipped at mainland ports, extended it to include funding for goods brought into Tasmania via an Australian port (when the product is not available in Australia), and reduced payment processing times.
A re-elected Coalition Government will guarantee the continuation of our expanded Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme.
10. Securing Tasmania as the gateway to Antarctica
The Coalition is continuing to back Tasmania as a hub for Antarctic research and operations as we invest further in Australia’s world-leading Antarctic leadership.
Investing in scientific operations in Antarctica not only supports Australia’s strategic national interests. It provides a jobs boost for Tasmanian businesses, contractors, medical suppliers and providores, with almost 950 Tasmanians directly employed in the Antarctic sector.
Our new investment in the 2022-23 Budget builds on the commissioning of the RSV Nuyina, which is home-docked at Macquarie Wharf in Hobart and represents a $1.9 billion investment over 30 years in world-leading research across the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. We’re also making major investments in Antarctic science, including $50-million for the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership led by UTas.
A re-elected Coalition Government will support the next decade of Australia’s operations in Antarctica and provide more opportunities for local businesses that back this work, with around $840 million invested through the 2022-23 Budget. The funding includes support for drone fleets, new helicopters, additional shipping support, marine science, environmental management and a new state-of-the-art krill aquarium in Hobart.
11. Supporting more Tasmanians into home ownership
The great Australian dream has always been to own your own home. The Morrison Government is committed to this goal with a range of support to make it easier to purchase a home of your own.
Over the last three years, the Morrison Government’s housing policies have supported more than 300,000 Australians into home ownership.
A re-elected Morrison Government will give first home buyers the ability to harness their superannuation to get into the property market. By 1 July 2023, the Super Home Buyer Scheme will allow first home buyers to invest up to $50,000 or up to 40 per cent of their superannuation (whichever is less) to help with the purchase of their first home.
It will mean Australians can buy their first home sooner by slashing the time taken to save a deposit.
Allowing your super to work for you to purchase your first home and then being returned to your super at a later date achieves the best of both worlds - home ownership and retirement security.
A re-elected Coalition Government will also provide up to 1.3 million more empty nesters the ability to access incentives to downsize their house. We will give Australians over the age of 55 the ability to invest up to $300,000, per person, in their superannuation fund outside of the existing contribution caps, from the proceeds of downsizing from their primary residence.
Pensioners who downsize their home will also be given greater flexibility by exempting the proceeds of the sale of the property from the assets test for longer.
By removing barriers for Australians downsizing to residences that better suit their needs and lifestyle, we are helping to free up larger homes for younger families.
We’re also more than doubling the size of our successful Home Guarantee Scheme.
The Home Guarantee Scheme ensures part of an eligible buyer's home loan is guaranteed by the Government, enabling Australians to buy a home sooner with a smaller deposit and without needing to pay lenders mortgage insurance.
In Tasmania, hundreds of homes have already been bought under the scheme, and around 4,000 applications for the HomeBuilder grant were received (with over 2,300 grants already paid). Our plan for expansion will help deliver the dream of home ownership to even more people in Tasmania.
A re-elected Morrison Government will:
- Establish the Super Home Buyer Scheme to allow first home buyers to invest up to 40 per cent of their superannuation, up to a maximum of $50,000 to help with the purchase of their first home.
- Expand support for first home buyers by more than tripling the number of low-deposit guarantees to buy a home (with as little as 5 per cent deposit) to 35,000 guarantees each financial year. From 1 July 2022, the cap for properties will increase to $600,000 in Hobart and $450,000 for the rest of Tasmania.
- Expand home ownership opportunities for single parent families by increasing the number of low-deposit guarantees for single parent families to buy a home (with a deposit of as little as 2 per cent) to 5,000 each financial year.
- Establish the Regional Home Guarantee to incentivise the purchase or construction of homes in regional areas by providing 10,000 low-deposit guarantees with a deposit as low as 5 per cent each financial year for those moving to, or within, regional areas, including non-first home buyers and permanent residents commencing 1 October 2022.
- Support greater investment into affordable housing with an additional $2 billion in low-cost financing for social and affordable dwellings. This brings total low-cost financing to $5.5 billion, supporting around 27,500 dwellings.
- Give Australians over the age of 55 the ability to invest up to $300,000, per person, in their superannuation fund outside of the existing contribution caps, from the proceeds of selling their primary residence.
- Double the Assets Test Exemption (from 1 January 2023) to two years when pensioners downsize from their family home, giving them more time to plan for their future.
12. Addressing mobile blackspots and improving broadband
The Coalition believes all Australians deserve access to fast and reliable telecommunications, regardless of where they live.
The global pandemic, a growing digital economy and natural disasters have underscored the importance of high-quality telecommunication services in regional and remote Australia.
That is why the Coalition has a clear plan to continue prioritising connectivity in Tasmania.
A re-elected Coalition Government will:
- Roll out the $811.8 million Connecting Regional Australia initiative to improve regional connectivity and address mobile blackspots on up to 8,000 km of regional roads and adjacent premises, businesses and tourist hotspots nationwide. This builds on our investment in 56 mobile towers so far in Tasmania (with 39 complete). The previous Labor government did not deliver a single tower in the state.
- Upgrade NBN's Fixed Wireless and Satellite networks with a $480 million investmentbenefitting over 64,000 Tasmanian households and businesses. We’re increasing fixed wireless coverage and speed, with bigger data limits for satellite users.
- Continue upgrades of NBN’s fixed line network. This is a $4.5 billion plan to provide on-demand upgrades from Fibre to the Node to Fibre to the Premises for identified suburbs across the country by 2023. Once complete, around 8 million premises nationwide will be able to access ultra-fast broadband of up to 1 Gbps.
13. Guaranteeing essential health and aged care
The Coalition is investing in a world-class health system that is improving access to affordable, quality health care in Tasmania.
A re-elected Coalition Government will continue record investment in Tasmania’s health and aged care services, including:
- $15 million to upgrade and expand the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Launceston base to improve the delivery of healthcare for Tasmanians.
- $4 million to support groundbreaking medical research in Northern Tasmania through the Clifford Craig Foundation. This investment will expand the capacity to translate health research into improved practice and patient outcomes in rural and regional Tasmania.
- Record support for Tasmanian hospitals. Commonwealth funding to Tasmanian hospitals is up from $294.1-million in 2012–13 under Labor to around $567.2 million in 2022–23. Our investment will grow to about $649.4 million in 2025–26.
- Cheaper medicines. Our Government has made 960 new or amended listings on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) since 2019, and over 2,900 since 2013. We will continue our policy to list all medicines recommended by the medical experts, unlike Labor which stopped listing medicines in 2011 because they couldn't manage money.
We will also cut the price of medications listed on the PBS from January 1 next year, as part of an annual $150 million hip-pocket saving for Australians. The $10 cut per script means the maximum price Australians will pay for PBS medicines drops from $42.50 down to $32.50, a 24 per cent saving. - Guaranteeing Medicare. Under our Government, Medicare funding to Tasmania has increased from $378.5 million in 2012-13 under Labor to $531.9 million in 2020-21. We’ve also introduced permanent and universal telehealth.
- Better aged care. We’re continuing to roll out our $19.1 billion investment in once-in-a-generation reforms to aged care. We’re putting senior Australians first by improving quality, safety and choice.
- Expand the Early Psychosis Youth Services (EPYS) mental health program into Tasmania to ensure continuity of care for vulnerable Australians experiencing, or at risk of, psychosis. .
- Continue to roll out our record $3 billion investment in the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan. Our goal is a more compassionate and caring system with greater focus on prevention.
- Make it easier and more affordable to access Medicare-funded MRI scans in regional, rural and remote Australia. A $66 million investment will increase access to Medicare funded MRI scans in regional, rural and remote Australia from 1 November 2022.
- Life-saving devices for diabetics. Our Government is supporting a further 71,000 Australians with Type 1 Diabetes, including over 3,100 in Tasmania, by investing over $270 million to cut the cost of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM). This means that every Australian diabetic will have access to a potentially life-saving CGM device, which could cost up to $5,000 a year without subsidy. From 1 July 2022, the maximum cost will be $32.50 a month.
14. Investing in education, skills and apprenticeships
With unemployment at record lows, we have a historic opportunity to get even more people off welfare and into work, and to deliver businesses the strong pipeline of skilled workers they need to grow the economy and create an even stronger future.
That is why the Morrison Government is investing even more to equip the workforce of Tasmania with the skills and training they need, from young people entering the workforce to mid-career workers seeking out new opportunities. We are also investing record funding in Tasmanian schools and improving school standards and teacher quality.
A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to back Tasmanian workers to get the skills they need by:
- Providing record investment in Tasmanian schools, with funding having already increased from $295 million in 2013 under Labor to $566 million in 2022 under our Government, and increasing further to $710 million in 2029.
- Introducing new wage subsidies for apprenticeships to support Tasmania’s future tradies, plumbers, tilers and chefs. We will provide an additional $2.8 billion to extend the successful Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements and Completing Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidies, along with introducing a new streamlined Australian Apprentices Incentives System.
15. Keeping Tasmanians safe
We are living in a time of global uncertainty. The pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and extreme weather events have caused enormous disruption. The safety and security of our region cannot be taken for granted.
Keeping Australians safe is the highest priority of the Coalition Government, with record investments in defence and law enforcement agencies and the strengthening of our borders. We’re also helping to reduce local crime, domestic violence and online abuse.
Tasmanians can trust the Coalition Government’s strong record on security. Labor’s record is cuts to Defence spending and cuts to our law enforcement agencies.
A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to keep Tasmanians safe by:
- Providing record Defence funding, restored to over 2 per cent of GDP and including boosting the Defence workforce by 18,500 personnel by 2040.
- Building Tasmania’s defence industries, including engaging Elphinstone to manufacture 45 turrets and hulls as part of a $1 billion defence industry contract for the Australian Army’s new Huntsman howitzers, creating around 55 new jobs at the Wynyard-based company.
- Maintaining our strong border policies that have stopped the boats, stopped the deaths at sea, removed children from detention and disrupted the people-smuggling trade.
- Providing record investments in our law enforcement and security agencies, including an extra $1.3 billion for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and boosting the Australian Federal Police’s annual budget to more than $1.7 billion.
- Investing a further $1.3 billion to end violence against women and children, including in prevention, early intervention, response (including increased emergency accommodation) and recovery.
- Continuing to invest in local crime prevention and early intervention activities in Tasmania through the Safer Communities Fund, including $1.1 million for the Bridgewater Police & Citizens Youth Club to run their Multi-Regional Intervention Youth Strategy at-risk youth intervention program and $880,000 for Youth Family and Community Connections in Devonport to run their Project Detour at-risk youth intervention program on the North West Coast and West Coast of Tasmania.
Our Record
Since the 2019 election, the Coalition has delivered on its commitments to secure a better future for Tasmania. Our economic plan is working.
With our strong economic management, we are building the stronger economy that guarantees essential services and keeps Tasmanians safe. Compared to 2019, Tasmania has more people in work, better roads and community infrastructure, lower taxes, more funding for hospitals and schools and cheaper medicines.
Strengthening Tasmania’s economy
- Tasmania’s unemployment rate has fallen to 4.5 per cent, which is lower than its pre-pandemic levels and almost half the rate when Labor was last in power. There are more than 31,000 more Tasmanians in work today than under Labor.
- More than $4.5 billion committed to transport infrastructure since 2013 for 98 projects, with 52 already completed. Major projects include:
- Upgrades to the Bass Highway including the Marrawah to Wynyard Upgrade and the Cooee to Wynyard upgrade ($100 million).
- Safety upgrades to the Midland Highway ($452 million).
- Murchison Highway upgrade ($35 million).
- Northern Roads Package Stage 2, including upgrades on the East and West Tamar and Bass Highway corridors ($336 million).
- Reducing travel times and improving safety along the Hobart to Sorell Corridor, including upgrades to the airport interchange ($280 million).
- Rolling out the $536 million Launceston City Deal, including the relocation and expansion of the UTas campus, improvements to the health of the Tamar River and establishment of the Defence Innovation and Design Precinct.
- Rolling out the $2.5 billion Hobart City Deal, including investing in a new Bridgewater Bridge and delivering congestion-busting road infrastructure.
- Around 232,000 Tasmanians are already receiving lower taxes through our Personal Income Tax Plan, with a worker earning around $60,000 per year more than $2,500 better off in 2021-22, compared to Labor’s 2013-14 tax settings. This equates to being around $50 a week better off in 2021-22.
- Lower taxes for around 63,000 Tasmanian small and family businesses, including 13,500 small companies benefitting from our permanent cut to the corporate tax rate – 25 per cent down from 30 per cent.
- Supporting training and apprenticeships, with over 8,000 people in Tasmania enrolled in JobTrainer, around 6,500 supported under the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy, and around 5,000 benefitting from the Supporting Apprentices and Trainees wage subsidy.
- Established an Industry Training Hub in Burnie to address high youth unemployment by helping young people build skills and find work.
- Supporting home ownership, with around 4,000 Tasmanian HomeBuilder applications to build a new home or substantially renovate an existing one, and hundreds of homes bought in Tasmania under the Home Guarantee Scheme.
- A fairer deal for Tasmanian businesses and consumers with an expansion of the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme to support shipping costs across Bass Strait.
- Supported the repeal of Labor’s Tasmanian Forests Agreement and established the North and North West Tasmania Regional Forestry Hub to grow forestry in the region.
- Provided $70 million to establish the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre, headquartered in Launceston with 43 industry, government and research partners, to support research and development into offshore aquaculture and renewable energy.
- Growing Tasmania’s agricultural sector and building new water infrastructure through over $100 million for Tasmanian Irrigation Tranche 3, including the Northern Midlands, Tamar, Don, Fingal and Sassafras-Wesley Vale irrigation schemes. This builds on our $60-million for Tranche 2.
- New export deals with the UK, India and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership to provide more growth opportunities for Tasmanian businesses, including those impacted by unfair Chinese Government trade sanctions.
- Commissioning the new Antarctic Icebreaker, the RSV Nuyina, which is docked at Macquarie Wharf in Hobart when not on the Southern Ocean, $50 million for the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership led by UTas, and $20 million for UTas through the Australian Research Council Special Research Initiative in Excellence in Antarctic Science.
- Backing important local community projects such as upgrading the main runway at Flinders Island Airport, expanding the Cressy Meat Processing Plant, the Brighton Regional Sports Centre, constructing new mountain bike trails around George Town and Queenstown and the Albert Hall redevelopment in Launceston.
- Strengthening Tasmania’s manufacturing sector with over $40 million provided through our Modern Manufacturing Strategy.
- Investing in 56 new mobile blackspot base stations (39 completed), upgrading NBN services on the West Coast, enhancing King Island’s mobile coverage, and the NBN now rolled out to over 99 per cent of the state.
- Australia has one of the lowest fatality rates from COVID-19 in the world, with death rates in the USA and the UK around 10 times higher.
- Introducing Medicare-subsidised telehealth, now universal and permanent – generational change in the flexibility of primary health care.
- Record funding for Tasmanian hospitals, with investment up from $294.1-million in 2012–13 under Labor to an estimated $567.2 million in 2022-23.
Supporting Tasmanians through the pandemic
- Direct COVID economic support for Tasmanian businesses and workers of around $3-billion, with JobKeeper supporting around 17,000 businesses employing over 68,000 workers in Tasmania.
- Almost 99 per cent of Tasmanians double-vaccinated, and 72 per cent (of those eligible) with a booster. Australia is in the top 5 COVID-vaccinated countries.
- Commonwealth COVID health support totalling around $45 billion across Australia.
- Improved local health services, including a second linear accelerator for the North West Cancer Centre, upgrades to birthing suites in Launceston General Hospital, and two new diagnostic mammography units in Hobart and Launceston for earlier diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.
- Cheaper medicines, with more than 2,900 new or amended listings on the PBS since we were elected in 2013, including an extra 960 since 2019 for treatments including for cystic fibrosis, Spinal Muscular Atrophy and bowel cancer; and lowering the threshold for the PBS Safety Net from 1 July 2022, saving 2.4 million Australians over $80 a year.
- Record funding for Tasmanian schools, up from $295 million in 2013 under Labor to $566 million in 2022 under our Government.
- More affordable child care through our Child Care Subsidy, providing around 90-per cent of families with a subsidy of 50 to 85 per cent, and reforms which have reduced average hourly out-of-pocket childcare costs in Tasmania by 4 per cent since 2018. Since March 2022, families are receiving a higher subsidy of up to 95 per cent for their second and subsequent children aged 5 and under.
- Major improvements to aged care, with a $19.1 billion support package in response to the Royal Commission – the largest investment ever in aged care – and over 160,000 additional home care packages funded since 2018-19.
- Ensuring the more than 11,000 NDIS participants in Tasmania receive the essential support they need, with an additional $26.4 billion for the NDIS over four years.
- Supporting Tasmania’s 8,800 veterans and their families with $7.5 million for Veteran Wellbeing Centres and services across Tasmania.
- Standing up for Australia’s interests in our region, including as a founding member of the historic AUKUS alliance, and the Quad Leaders’ summit.
- Maintaining strong borders by stopping the boats, stopping the deaths at sea, removing children from detention and disrupting the people-smuggling trade.
- Taking tough action to deport foreign criminals, by cancelling or refusing the visas of over 10,000 criminals nationwide.
- Working to end violence against women and their children, including $9.2-million to boost Tasmanian domestic violence frontline services, one-off Escaping Violence Payments of up to $5,000 (including up to $1,500 in cash) and more funding for prevention.
- Standing up to social media companies to keep Australians safe online, particularly women and children, by legislating the Online Safety Act and introducing new laws to tackle anonymous trolling and protect online privacy.
- Meeting and beating our emissions targets. We’ve already achieved emissions reductions of 20 per cent on 2005 levels (beating our Kyoto-era targets) while our economy has grown by 45 per cent; a projected reduction of 30-35-per cent by 2030; and a detailed plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
- The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has invested in around 20 Tasmanian renewables and low emissions technology projects and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation has supported around 700 Tasmanian projects including:
- $4 million for the design, construction, deployment, installation and operation of a 200KW wave energy converter near Grassy Harbour on King Island, Tasmania.
- Up to $25.4 million to the Granville Harbour Wind Farm.
- Boosting recycling capacity, with $5.5 million to build three plastics recycling facilities in Tasmania to support our waste export bans and protect marine life in our oceans.
- Protecting Tasmania’s threatened species and unique environment through the Environment Restoration Fund. This includes $1.5 million to protect Bruny Island’s eastern quolls, $235,000 to protect the Forty-spotted Pardalote and $260,000 to remove rice grass from Rubicon Valley.
- $700,000 from the Communities Environment Program for 56 local projects.
Guaranteeing essential services
A safer and more secure Tasmania
Protecting Tasmania’s environment
The Risk of Labor
There is a clear choice at this election.
A choice between the Coalition Government that is delivering a strong economy for Tasmania and a Labor Opposition that would weaken it.
A choice between responsible financial management that has delivered the biggest Budget turnaround in over 70 years, and a Labor Opposition that can’t manage money.
A choice between an economic plan that will deliver lower taxes for Tasmanian workers and businesses and lower unemployment, and Labor’s track record of higher unemployment, higher interest rates and higher taxes.
A choice between investing in Australia’s national security, defence and strong borders, and a Labor Party that cut Defence spending by $18 billion when last in government and would weaken Australia’s borders.
Labor has no economic plan for Tasmania, or the rest of the country.
Labor’s team of union officials and political operatives just doesn’t get the economy.
When Labor was last in power, supported by the Greens, Tasmanians suffered more than most.
The Tasmanian unemployment rate peaked at 8.8 per cent, interest rates were higher, jobs were destroyed, new taxes were introduced, industries like forestry were targeted and no new export deals were landed.
Labor leader Albanese has never held a financial portfolio, he’s never held a national security portfolio and he’s never delivered a budget.
Albanese would be too weak to stand up to the Greens, who want to shut down Tasmania’s forestry and aquaculture industries and frequently oppose tourism developments.
Labor can’t resist higher taxes and Tasmanians will pay.
Labor leader Albanese has argued for higher taxes on retirees, housing, families and inheritances. He was also a strong supporter of the mining tax and the carbon tax.
In uncertain times, Tasmania can’t risk Labor.
|
COALITION |
LABOR |
|
Tasmania unemployment rate 4.5 per cent (Mar-22) |
Tasmania unemployment rate 8 per cent (Sep-13) |
|
Tasmania youth unemployment rate 12.9 per cent (Mar-22) |
Tasmania youth unemployment rate 18.9 per cent (Sept-13) |
|
Tasmania infrastructure investment $694 million (2019-20 - 2021-22) |
Tasmania infrastructure investment $373 million (2010-11 - 2012-13) |
|
Small business tax rate 25 per cent (2021-22) |
Small business tax rate 30 per cent (2013-14) |
|
Income tax on $60,000 income $8,476 (2021-22) |
Income tax on $60,000 income $11,047 (2013-14) |
|
Forestry Supported the repeal of the Tasmanian Forests Agreement, established the North and North-West Forestry Hub and won’t support further shutdowns of native forestry. |
Forestry Created the Tasmanian Forests Agreement and too weak to stand up to the Greens. |
|
Tasmania hospitals funding $567.2 million (2022-23) |
Tasmania hospitals funding $294.1 million (2012-13) |
|
Tasmanian Medicare funding $531.9 million in 2020–21 |
Tasmanian Medicare funding $378.5 million in 2012–13 |
|
Tasmania schools funding $566 million (2022) |
Tasmania schools funding $295 million (2013) |
|
Mobile blackspots (towers delivered) 39 in Tasmania |
Mobile blackspots (towers delivered) 0 across Australia |
|
Foreign criminals Cancelled or refused over 10,000 visas nationally. |
Foreign criminals Cancelled or refused just 1,128 visas. Voted against laws which would make it easier to deport criminals. |
Cost
As part of the Plan for Tasmania, the Coalition is investing an additional:
- $50 million over five years from 2024-25 to secure the future of Nyrstar’s manufacturing operations.
- $15 million to upgrade and expand the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) Launceston base.
The Coalition’s Plan for Tasmania also includes funding for previously announced election commitments.
Funding for all other policies in the Coalition’s Plan for Tasmania is already provided for within budget estimates.