At next month’s election Tasmanians have a crucial choice about the future of our state. It’s a choice between a strong Liberal team, with a plan to take Tasmania to the next level, or turning back to the instability of minority government.
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It’s a plan to continue the growth in our economy, creating more jobs. It’s a plan to invest more into education, health and essential services - which we are only able to do because my Government has worked hard to get the budget back in balance.
It’s a plan to keep the cost of living down, with action to reduce water and power bills. It’s a plan to keep our communities safe, with more police on the beat and tougher laws to deal with criminals. It’s a plan to protect our precious way of life, and to help more Tasmanians into a home of their own. And its a plan to invest in the infrastructure needed to build Tasmania’s future. We have achieve a lot over the last four years, working together with our community. Tasmania is now a much more confident, prouder and stronger place to be.
Our economy is much stronger, with over 10,900 new jobs. In the North, there are 2400 more people in work than when we came to office, and average unemployment in the 12 months to December 2017 was 6.2 per cent, compared with 8 per cent under Labor and the Greens.
But there is more work to do which is why a re-elected majority Liberal government will cut payroll tax to encourage Tasmanians to employ people and we will support 4500 new apprentices and trainees.
Hospital waiting lists are lower now, and there are 250 more nurses in our health system. But there is more we need to do to ensure Tasmanians have the best health services possible, which is why we will invest $160 million over six years to open an additional 40 beds at the Launceston General Hospital, make the community Rapid Response Service permanent, recruit an estimated 161 new hospital and health staff, deliver a $87.3 million LGH redevelopment and invest $5 million for up to 168 new car parks.
More kids are staying in school and getting better results, giving them their best shot in life. If we’re re-elected we’ll extend all high schools to grade 12 to make it easier for students to study close to home. To support this we’ll employ 250 extra teachers, more than 100 of them in the North.
We recognise cost of living pressures are real and Tasmanian households need support. We will delink our power prices from the National Electricity Market, meaning lower power bills for Tasmanians. As well, we’ll place an immediate one year freeze on water bills with no catch-up, saving $700 over six years as part of our plan to take over TasWater.
I strongly believe our best days are still ahead of us. But I also believe that we are best placed to reach our potential with a strong, stable majority government that can get things done - and only the Liberal Party can provide majority government.
A vote for any other party will result in a hung parliament and the uncertainty and instability of minority government.
I ask those living and working in northern Tasmania; if you want our state to keep moving ahead, with a strong, stable team that can be trusted to deliver, then vote Liberal. This election is a very important decision for Tasmanians, because a change of government will change the direction we are heading in . And why would you want to go back?
- Read Opposition Leader Rebecca White’s thoughts in the Sunday Examiner.