Michael Bailey outlines the TCCI’s 2018 wishlist

Truth is, the Liberals made a lot of election promises and the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry will work hard to ensure that they stick to those promises.

But there are several areas of industry and overall investment strategy and policy that need to be completed.

I can think of five immediate issues that require either completion or fixing.

We need one scheme, with uniform administration.

The only way that this is going to work is to take planning away from local government and create a central body to manage planning statewide.

Much of the planning issues relate to how a local government interprets the scheme - or a council backing down to due to a loud minority.

We need good development, sustainable development and development that respects our heritage values – both built and environmental.

This critical body of work would link to the population strategy and transport strategy to step out the investments needed over the next decade or so.

We need to plan for the next 5, 10 and 20 years – outside the election cycle.

This would include roads, public transport, education and energy infrastructure – to name just four areas.

We don’t necessarily want or need millions more tourists in Tasmania.

We want to maintain and protect the things that make us special and charge accordingly for the privilege of visiting.

This must be based on our clean and unique brand. 

We must use our built infrastructure, funded by generations of Tasmanians, to offer the cheapest power in the nation.

It must be more cost effective to purchase energy in our state than anywhere else in the nation. 

There is a mandate now for this important reform. A more agile and customer focussed TasWater is a must for business.

- Michael Bailey is the chief executive of the TCCI