LEADING economist Saul Eslake has called for major educational reform and implored the state government to be more open to a GST increase in a report commissioned by Tasmania's peak business body.
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The Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry will on Wednesday morning release a report by Mr Eslake that analysed the state's economic performance and progression.
The inaugural Tasmania Report will be unveiled at TCCI events in Launceston, Ulverstone and Hobart.
The report recommends organisational changes in the education system and a cultural change across the community.
Mr Eslake said he had purposely underplayed some of Tasmania' strengths in the analysis.
"Perhaps it's inevitable that this report has laid its greatest emphasis on those areas where Tasmania should and could do better," Mr Eslake said in a speech.
He said while the state's economic growth was improving, there was "still a hell of big gap" between Tasmania and the rest of Australia in many areas, and it was appropriate the May state budget had a focus on supporting economic activity for job creation in the North.
"While the improvements in Tasmania's economy were clearly being led by Hobart, Launceston and the North-East were faring less well than the rest of Tasmania," he said.
"The North continued to bear the brunt of declining manufacturing and of the lingering consequences of the collapse of the forestry industry."
Mr Eslake called on the government to be more open to a GST debate.
"Tasmania's vulnerability to negative changes in federal funding could be consolidated by GST changes, provided the government does not change the GST carve-up between states," he said.
Tasmanian Council of Social Service chief executive Kym Goodes said participation in learning and employment should be front and centre.
"While Tasmanians can be justly proud that our state is making its mark internationally because of our tourism, wine and food boom, a shocking number of Tasmanians cannot afford a healthy meal, let alone enjoy the wonderful attractions that bring tourists to our shores," Ms Goodes said. "We need a taskforce that looks into the disconnect between these two Tasmanias, an evidence-based, all-of-community effort so we understand definitively the barriers to learning for all Tasmanians once and for all," she said.
■ The Northern TCCI events will be held at Country Club Tasmania at Prospect at 12.45pm and Pier 01 in Ulverstone at 6pm.
