Building on the momentum of the Northern region will be a focus for incumbent Bass Liberal MP Peter Gutwein.
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Mr Gutwein topped the polls in the Bass electorate and played a role in maintaining a Liberal majority government under Premier Will Hodgman.
Senior journalist CAITLIN JARVIS caught up with Mr Gutwein to talk past, present and future issues for the next term of the majority Liberal government.
Budget
Mr Gutwein was one of the few Liberal MPs who did not change portfolios in the new Hogman government – he retained Treasury, local government and state growth.
Last year, Mr Gutwein delivered the 2017-18 Tasmanian Budget, which he remembers as one of his most crowning achievements as he was able to deliver surplus for the state.
“It is the first time the state has held net surplus and not net debt,” he said.
“It now gives us the opportunity to leverage that to grow the economy.”
The budget will be one of the first things on Mr Gutwein’s agenda as it is usually delivered in May, however, the first sitting of Parliament won’t be until May 1.
Mr Gutwein said he expected the budget to be delivered “in this half of the financial year” but he did not believe a date had been set yet.
TasWater and amalgamations
Mr Gutwein received criticism last year from the local government sector for his forays into portfolio with his so-far failed attempt at taking state ownership of TasWater.
In addition, he encouraged voluntary council amalgamation and resource sharing, while being accused of forcing amalgamations onto councils.
He described the local government portfolio as “challenging but worthwhile.”
While the state government has maintained it will not force council amalgamations, he said it had encouraged resource sharing.
“Councils now have the opportunity to track data and evidence on how to provide services at low cost,” he said.
Northern councils West Tamar and George Town are investigating amalgamation opportunities and initial discussions have begun between Break O’Day and Glamorgan Spring Bay councils.
The TasWater takeover bid was knocked back by the Legislative Council last year but Mr Gutwein said he “still felt strongly about it”.
Reintroducing legislation to address some of the concerns of the Legislative Council to allow the government to take control of TasWater will be one of his priorities heading back into the second term of government.
Bass’ future
As a Bass MP Mr Gutwein said he was looking forward to the next four years, with the future of the region looking bright.
“There is an air of confidence in the North,” he said.
He said there were a number of key infrastructure projects that would come online in the next few years that would improve outcomes for people living in the region.
Some of the election commitments for the North include:
- $270 million for the construction of a Northern prison
- $92.5 million for transport infrastructure in Launceston and the Tamar Valley, including $12 million to upgrade the West Tamar Highway
- $47.5 million, matched by the federal government, to clean up the Tamar River, including making improvements to Launceston’s combined sewerage and stormwater system
Mr Gutwein also cited the impending University of Tasmania campus relocation and the co-located private hospital proposal as projects that would improve the outlook of those living in the North.
“We are determined to boost confidence, that will lead to greater investment and deliver jobs [for the North],” he said.
He said the introduction of the Northern Stimulus Package in 2016 had done its job and had improved business and economic confidence in the region.
“It’s great to see examples of that, like the CH Smith building. Now people see tens of thousands, an army of workers working to redevelop that site.”
Benneworth and Goodwin
Mr Gutwein said despite the result on election night, the loss of ‘personal friend’ and former Attorney General Vanessa Goodwin had “taken the shine off” the victory.
Dr Goodwin lost her battle with brain cancer on March 3, the day Tasmanians took to the polls.
“I was personally very sad to hear the news and it took me a very long time to process it,” Mr Gutwein said.
“It makes you reflect on what is important and what isn’t.”
However, Dr Goodwin wasn’t the only person Mr Gutwein had to say goodbye to, with Tony ‘Benny’ Benneworth losing his life in a boating incident at Ansons Bay on the East Coast a week later on March 10.
Personal result
Mr Gutwein said he was “very pleased and humbled” to have been re-elected in Bass and to have topped the polls in his electorate.
He credited the strength of the Liberal team for the result.
“We were determined to increase confidence, which we knew would lead to greater investment and deliver jobs. We actioned that plan and delivered for Tasmania,” he said.
“At the end of the day we did what we said we’d do.”
He said Bass had contested the election with a strong Liberal team, with incumbent members Michael Ferguson and Sarah Courtney also returned to the electorate.
The cabinet reshuffle was announced on Tuesday.