Premier Peter Gutwein has told members at a campaign launch he will never forget the enormity of many of the decisions he had to make during the coronavirus pandemic last year.
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He said closing businesses, enforcing movement restrictions and telling people they had to stay away from their loved ones had affected him deeply.
"Much was made of when I shed a tear in Parliament after shutting down thousands of businesses and putting tens of thousands out of work," Mr Gutwein told the gathering in Rokeby on Sunday.
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"I am not a person who wears their emotions on their sleeve.
"Having to tell people they couldn't travel back to Tasmania for the funeral of a family member was quite simply gut-wrenching.
"There are phone conversations I have had with people that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
"Believe me, the tears I shed in Parliament were not the only ones I shed last year."
He said it was time to look to bettering the future now COVID-19 under control and the state's economy was in recovery.
Mr Gutwein told attendees at the campaign launch he got into politics so as he could help make Tasmania a better place.
"A place where everyone has the opportunity to get a good job and raise a family if they wanted to," he said.
"What drives me day and night is my vision for Tasmania - a Tasmania that no matter who you are, no matter where you live, your circumstance or background, I want you to be able to grasp the opportunities that present themselves here.
"We faced massive challenges when we first came to government some seven years ago.
"For the first six years, we worked very hard. We fixed our finances, we rebuilt confidence, we attracted investment, grew our economy, and we created jobs for Tasmanians.
"For the last 12 months, we've worked even harder."
Mr Gutwein said there was now a challenge and an opportunity to find skilled workers to complete the work that was now on offer in the state.
"This is why we will invest more into TasTAFE, provide 100 more teachers, and importantly, give it the flexibility it needs in government hands so that all Tasmanians can get the training that they need," he said. "We have a strong pipeline of work in front of us, not just for next year but for years to come."
Mr Gutwein said the state needed a stable majority government after election day for the sake of Tasmania's economy and it needed to be led by a party with clear plan for the future and a track record of delivery.
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
