As one of the nation's most volatile electorates, both the Coalition and Labor have focused strong attention on Bass and have promised millions in funding for policies and projects.
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The parties also have different ways forward on crucial issues that affect all Australians - particularly on health and education.
Voting locations: Where to vote in Bass and Lyons, and which booths have sausage sizzles
Scroll down for complete policy and promise breakdowns (both Bass and national) on:
- Tasmania's health system
- Tamar River health
- Education: Schools, childcare, universities, TAFE
- Infrastructure: Road, community facilities
- Business, jobs and taxes
- Policy rundown: housing, energy, NBN, Newstart, industrial relations
FINAL PITCH FROM CANDIDATES
Bridget Archer, Liberal candidate for Bass: "This election could be decided here in Tasmania in the seats of Bass and Braddon. We've got a plan, we've spent the campaign laying out our plan to improve jobs, health and the Tasmanian way of life.
We've worked over the last few years - the Morrison Liberal government - with the Hodgman government here in Tasmania to develop a plan that provides for growth and investment here in northern Tasmania.
We want to see that momentum continue and the choice is very clear."
Ross Hart, Labor Bass MHR:
"It's about a choice between properly funding our health system and our education system, or providing tax cuts to people that are on very high incomes or to multinational corporations including the big banks.
The figure quoted by the Australia Institute is $77 billion (in tax breaks).
If anybody challenges me as to how it is that the Labor Party proposes to properly fund education or health, or the NDIS, for a start we need to ensure that people pay taxes and we don't provide a tax cut to people that are on the highest income, we don't allow multinational tax avoidance, and we certainly don't prefer the interests of the big banks and multinationals to properly funding our health system."
TASMANIA'S HEALTH SYSTEM
As expected, health was one of the top priorities for readers in The Examiner election survey - and the party's promises reflected this. The Coalition pitched a $92 million Tasmanian Health Plan, while Labor promised to increase the Commonwealth contribution for health funding, winding back an Abbott-era change.
There were funding promises from both parties for the Launceston General Hospital and mental health services.
BOTH PARTIES PROMISED:
- Mammography units: $3 million for two new diagnostic mammography units
- Birthing suites: $400,000 for birthing suite upgrades at LGH
- Kings Meadows: $10 million to redevelop and extend Kings Meadows Community Health Centre
COALITION BASS PROMISES:
- Waiting lists: $34.7 million to reduce surgical waiting times
- Mental health: $10.5 million for walk-in mental health centre in Launceston
- Direct health payment: $25 million additional direct payment to Tasmanian government for health spending
COALITION HEALTH POLICIES:
- Hospital funding: $31 billion additional funding for hospitals from 2020 to 2025, maintaining 45 per cent Commonwealth contribution
LABOR BASS PROMISES:
- Launceston General Hospital: $35 million for 32 new bed sub-acute care unit at LGH
- Mental health: $15 million for walk-in mental health centre in Launceston with 25 acute care beds
- Perinatal: $4.5 million for perinatal infant mental health service at LGH and North West Regional Hospital
- Emergency: $1 million for LGH Emergency Department
LABOR HEALTH POLICIES:
- Dental: Reducing out-of-pocket costs for dental care for seniors, with a view to introducing a universal dental care scheme
- Cancer care: Free medical scans and specialist consultations for cancer patients
- Commonwealth contributions: Restore the Commonwealth share of public hospital funding growth to 50 per cent, up from 45 per cent
Bridget Archer: "Are we going to solve those challenges by just throwing more money at it and hoping that some of it sticks to the right thing? No. I think it's unreasonable to say, and Labor has been very loud to say, that they are going to fix the health crisis. And yet there's no evidence to support what they're saying, no evidence to support that what they are proposing to spend is going to have that effect."
Ross Hart: "Never has the choice been clearer. The choice is between $150 million in investment in health that Labor will make, whereas the Liberals have no other solution for health other than offering Northern Tasmanians $35 million worth of cuts."
For full coverage of health issues in Bass, click here.
TAMAR RIVER HEALTH
Neither party committed to any changes to boost the health of the Tamar River, with both to continue the rollout of $94.6 million worth of projects as part of the City Deal. They did remain open to further funding commitments in the future.
Bridget Archer: "It's a testament to the collaboration I was talking about ... between local, state and federal governments through the City Deal, we've seen commitments to the health of the Tamar estuary."
Ross Hart: "If somebody wants to pitch to me as the member for Bass a project which involves federal funding to enable us to do it quicker, I'm open to making those representations."
For more coverage of the Tamar River issues click here.
EDUCATION: SCHOOLS, CHILDCARE, UNIVERSITIES, TAFE
While there were minimal direct school funding commitments, it did not mean the outcome of the election won't shape the future of education in Bass.
Labor has promised a return to the National Quality Agenda - that's a promise of $12 million more funding for schools in Bass over four years. The party also promised more funding for TAFE, and their childcare policies - free for low-income households, funding three-year-old preschool and increasing preschool worker wages - has been a central to their campaign.
The Coalition will continue to deliver its childcare reforms developed while in government.
BOTH PARTIES PROMISED:
- Australian Maritime College: $30 million for the first stage of the defence precinct plan
COALITION BASS PROMISES:
- School funding: Retain current funding model for schools, with a review in next term of government
COALITION EDUCATION POLICIES:
- Childcare: Funding for four-year-old preschool, for one more year. Means-tested subsidy to remain
- School funding: Review funding model in next term of government
- Vocational education: National Skills Commission and National Careers Institute
- Universities: Retaining funding model based on population and university performance, "extra support" for regional students and universities
LABOR BASS PROMISES:
- TAFE: $3.5 million to TAFE in Northern Tasmania for electrotech, construction, metal trades, automotive courses, and new facilities/equipment for nursing, aged care, disability support courses
- School funding: Reinstate National Quality Agenda funding, resulting in $12 million more for schools in Bass over three years
LABOR EDUCATION POLICIES:
- Childcare: Free childcare for most low-income households, subsidies for over $175,000 per year households. Funding an extra year of preschool for three-year-olds. Wage increases for early childhood educators
- School funding: $14 billion more for schools by 2029 under different funding model
- Vocational education: 100,000 TAFE extra places funded, inquiry into tertiary education
- Universities: Return to demand-driven funding model instead of funding based on population and university performance
Bridget Archer: "Increasingly, industry requires a different level of skills ... I think what's really pleasing to see in Northern Tasmania as I go around talking to business is around industry-lead training and skills development, so making sure that what is actually being delivered are the skills and apprenticeships that businesses actually require."
Ross Hart: "Under this government TAFE has been attacked, it has been used as the poor cousin of other private sector operators, who, at times, have ripped off students. We know that TAFE needs some love, it needs investment."
For a complete overview of education promises for Bass, click here.
For more on the commitments to AMC, click here.
INFRASTRUCTURE: ROADS, COMMUNITY FACILITIES
Direct infrastructure funding is the most accessible category for voters: it's when you see the heavy machinery roll in and work actually getting done.
Fortunately, as a knife-edge seat, Bass has had no shortage of funding promises from the major parties.
BOTH PARTIES PROMISED:
- Soccer funding: $50,000 for spectator seating at Riverside Olympic, $670,000 for developments at Churchill Park, $250,000 for Windsor Park lighting upgrade, $25,000 for NTCA Ground 1 (Northern Rangers)
- Football funding: $150,000 for Bridport FC lighting and drainage, $250,000 for Bridgenorth FC lighting and drainage, $250,000 for George Town FC lighting and drainage
- Albert Hall: $10 million towards the hall's revitalisation
- Regent Square: $2.45 million for redevelopment
- Gravelly Beach: Fully funded structural plan
COALITION BASS PROMISES:
- Illawarra Main Road: $64 million to upgrade the highway between Bass and Midland highways
- Northern Suburbs Community Hub: The full $15 million for the project to go ahead at Mowbray
- Sideling: $40 million, guaranteeing the road upgrades
- Flinders Island: $4.8 million for marine access and safe harbour
- Beauty Point: $3 million for Master Plan implementation
LABOR BASS PROMISES:
- Northern Suburbs Community Hub: $10 million for the project at Mowbray
- Special Olympics: $1 million for Special Olympics in Launceston in 2020 and 2022
- Additional football funding: $242,000 for Rocherlea FC ground and facilities upgrades, $250,000 for Scottsdale FC lighting and facilities, $150,000 for Hillwood FC surface works
- West Tamar, Frankford highways: $25 million for new overtaking lanes on West Tamar, $20 million for new overtaking lanes on Frankford Highway
- Sideling: $25 million to upgrade Sideling to B-Double standard
- Birralee Road: $24 million to upgrade the road
- Mountain bike: $4.4 million for George Town Mountain Bike Trail, $400,000 for mountain bike pump tracks at George Town and Scottsdale
- Flinders Island: $3.6 million to seal Palana Road
- Dalrymple and The Glen: $3.55 million to improve roads
- Mobile blackspots: Funding to fix black sports at Trevallyn, Greens Beach, Kelso, Grindelwald
- Enviro hub: $250,000 for feasibility study for Meander Valley Central Indusrtial Precinct bioenergy plant
- Boat ramps: $220,000 to upgrade boat ramps at Weymouth, Tomahawk and Musselroe Bay
- Hillwood foreshore: $300,000 for trails between George Town and Low Head
- Greens Beach: Funding for community hub proposal
BUSINESS, JOBS AND TAXES
As expected, the two parties diverge somewhat when it comes to tax and their policies regarding business, the economy and growth.
The Coalition has favoured a business-as-usual approach including tax rebates for low and middle-income earners. Labor has based its platform on taxing higher income earners and cracking down on multinational tax avoidance.
BOTH PARTIES PROMISED:
- Timberlink: $3.5 million for equipment upgrades - the final upgrade at the Bell Bay mill
- Irrigation scheme: $100 million as part of statewide commitment, including Tamar-Pipers irrigation scheme
COALITION BUSINESS AND TAX POLICIES:
- Tax rebates: A rebate of $1080 for Australians earning $48,000-$90,000, and $255 for those on under $37,000
- Instant asset write-off: Lifted for small businesses from $25,000 to $30,000. Medium sized businesses up to $50 million will gain access to scheme
LABOR BASS PROMISES:
- Hydrogen: $250,000 for business case into establishing hydrogen production at Bell Bay
- Food factory: $5 million to build fermented food and beverage factory at Legana
LABOR BUSINESS AND TAX POLICIES:
- Franking credits: Cash payment on franking credits removed (charities, pensioners, part-pensioners exempt; self-managed super funds with pension members also exempt)
- Negative gearing: Limited to new housing from January 1, 2020
- Capital gains tax: Discount halved (from 50% to 25%) for all assets purchased after January 1, 2020
- Multinational tax avoidance: Policy to close tax loopholes and address usage of tax havens
- Budget repair levy: 2% on incomes above $180,000
- Superannuation: Lower non-concessional contribution cap to $75,000, lower the high income super contribution threshold to $200,000
Bridget Archer: "It's about what's important to business, what's important to the economic future for Northern Tasmania, confidence, investment, growth, innovation, collaboration."
Ross Hart: "I really think a reinvestment in our blue collar trades is something that will drive the economy."
POLICY RUNDOWN
HOUSING
Coalition: Guarantee on deposit of 5% for first home buyers earning up to $125,000 for individuals, $200,000 for couples (Labor matched)
Labor: $8500 subsidy for investors who build homes for low and middle income earners
ENERGY
Coalition: $1.38 billion Snowy Hydro 2.0 (Labor matched)
Labor: Bringing back the National Energy Guarantee, 50% renewable energy target by 2030. Providing $10 billion to Clean Energy Finance Corporation, $200 million for batteries in 100,000 homes. Funding for 4000 schools to get solar panels
NBN
Coalition: Continue with current rollout schedule, effectively complete in Tasmania
Labor: Review remaining rollout and future upgrades
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
Coalition: Criminal prosecution for worker exploitation, national registry for labour hire firms
Labor: To make representations to Fair Work Commission to restore Sunday and public holiday penalty rates, increase in minimum wage
NEWSTART
Coalition: Continue with current annual indexation of payment
Labor: Review the payment, to be complete within 18 months, with a view to give first real increase in payment in several decades