Tasmania Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations Jeremy Rockliff

Strong Message Sent, But McKim Must Stop Protests

Victor P Taffa

The Liberals welcome the strong message sent yesterday by the courts that forestry protests will not be tolerated, Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations Jeremy Rockliff said today.

“These protests are simply outrageous. They place the lives of innocent people at risk, they jeopardize businesses that have already been hit hard by the signing of the disastrous forestry agreement, and they are damaging the industry beyond repair.”

“The Premier pledged that her forestry deal would deliver peace to the industry, yet only a matter of days after the deal has been signed, we have seen anything but peace.” Mr. Rockliff said.

“The ball is now in Nick McKim’s court. He continues to claim that he has no control over protesters, but has proven on many occasions that he is the one pulling the strings of his protestor puppets.”

“Mr. McKim must immediately call off the protests and allow what little that remains of the forest industry to continue.” Mr. Rockliff said.

Tasmania Opposition Leader Will Hodgman

Tasmanian Forest Agreement

Victor P Taffa

This is not a “peace” deal –it is a deal to keep Labor in Power. $276 Million is the price of Labor selling out the forest industry to appease Nick McKim, Bob Brown, and the Greens according to Opposition Leader Will Hodgman.

“And it is a deal which is bad for Tasmania– cutting a $1.4 Billion industry literally in half, before winding it down to nothing, is absolute madness.”

“Labor went to the election promising to renew the Regional Forest Agreement. Instead, they have ripped it up, cutting the Tasmanian forest industry literally in half and betraying timber workers and communities right around the state.” Mr. Hodgman said.

“The policy adopted is almost identical to the Tasmanian Greens 2010 forestry policy. It’s also similar to the crazy policy put forward by Mark Latham in 2004 but which came with more than three times more money – a proposal which Tasmanian Labor quite rightly rejected at the time.”

“Taxpayer money should not be used to buy out jobs, it should be used to grow industry and create jobs. I note that there appears to be no guarantees about the re-opening of Triabunna and there is definitely no guarantee about “peace in our time.” Mr. Hodgman said.

“My thoughts today are with the workers and with the community’s right around Tasmania that depend on forestry and have been gutted by today’s foul deal between Labor and the Greens.”

“I am extremely disappointed that Ms. Giddings has apparently rejected my offer today to work together to save forestry jobs and grow the industry.” Mr. Hodgman said.

“As we demonstrated with our 13-point plan, there is a way to protect and grow jobs in the forest industry while improving environmental outcomes and providing critical support to those forest contracts affected by Gunns commercial decision to exit native forestry.”

“We will closely examine the detail of today’s announcement.” Mr. Hodgman said.

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Police Elise Archer

Which Rural Towns Are In The Firing Line This Time Minister?

Victor P Taffa

The Police Minister must immediately tell Tasmanians exactly which Police stations are on the Green-Labor hit list for closure, Shadow Minister for Police Elise Archer said today.

“Only weeks after the Government back flipped on its decision to close 20 schools, it now appears that up to 30 Police stations, many in rural and regional towns have been flagged for closure – a move that will destroy many communities.”

“Police numbers in Tasmania are already well below other states. A further decrease and the closure of stations will undoubtedly result in higher rates of crime, longer response times and greater pressure on community safety.” Ms. Archer said.

“The Police Minister has already admitted that the state will lose 37 Police officers over the next 12 months, coming on top of the closure of the Cold Case Unit, and the indefinite delay of Police recruitment courses.”

“Tasmanians can no longer afford to be punished as a result of years of gross financial mismanagement by this Government.”

“It is time that the Minister came clean to Tasmanians and outlined exactly how he intends to find the $8 Million of savings required within the Police Department in this financial year alone, and which stations will close as a result.” Ms. Archer said.

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Energy Matthew Groom

Carbon Tax Makes Tasmanians Pay Twice

Victor P Taffa

Despite the posturing from the Premier and Andrew Wilkie, it appears that the Labor-Green carbon tax fails to properly reward Tasmania for having already transitioned to low carbon electricity production, according to Shadow Minister for Energy Matthew Groom.

“This has been our concern all along – Tasmanians are now being forced to pay twice for this transition.”

“Hydro Tasmania – owned by Tasmanians – still carries over $ 800 Million in debt from its historical investment in hydro electric power, yet now Tasmanians will still cop an additional 10 % rise in their power bills next year alone to pay for the rest of Australia to make the same transition.” Mr. Groom said.

“This is one top of the 20 % rise we’ve had this year in electricity prices, and the 20 % already forecast over the next two years.”

“The Government has failed to even secure a guarantee that the Musselroe wind-farm will be built as a result of the carbon tax.”

“And they can provide no guarantees about the tax’s impact on Tasmanian industry, or provide a guarantee that jobs won’t be lost.” Mr. Groom said.

“While the Government claims that this deal is somehow initially good for Tasmania because we have more people on lower incomes that will get more government payments, everyone knows that the carbon tax has to rise much higher than the initial price if it is to actually achieve anything.”

“And what does it say about this Government and their attitude to our economy, if the best thing that can be claimed is that it somehow hurts us less because we are a poorer state?” Mr. Groom asked.

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Health Jeremy Rockliff

NW Made To Wait Even Longer For Promised Cancer Services

Victor P Taffa

Despite the release of the long awaited Clinical Expert Panel report into North-West Radiation Oncology services, the Green-Labor Government has still failed to put a timeline on its delivery, according to Shadow Minister for Health Jeremy Rockliff.

“Not only does this report support the Liberals’ long-held position that a radiotherapy service would be sustainable on a hub and spoke model with Launceston, it is an absolute cop-out for the Minister to turn-around and tell Tasmanians that the deal now hinges on Federal funding.”

“North-West residents were initially told by former Premier David Bartlett during the 2010 State Election “the cancer clinic will be starting to be built by the end of the year”. Almost 18 months later, these people are still waiting.” Mr. Rockliff said.

“It is clear that Labor at both a State and Federal level has played politics with the issue from day one.”

“Delivering radiation oncology on the North-West will ensure that patients can spend more time with their families, hold down a job and get on with their lives while undergoing treatment.”

“The Green-Labor Government must immediately put a date on delivering the radiation oncology services that the people of the North-West Coast need and deserve.” Mr. Rockliff said.

Tasmania Opposition Leader Will Hodgman

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Education Michael Ferguson

Year 7-12 High Schools within a Decade

Victor P Taffa

Under a Hodgman Liberal Government, Tasmanian High Schools will go up to year 12 within a decade of being elected to office.

It’s a damning fact that Tasmania continues to have the lowest retention rates in Australia.

Only 47 % of Tasmanians have a post year 10 qualification yet 86 % of jobs require this level of educational attainment.

Worse still, the latest ABS statistics show that only 51 % of Tasmanians are considered to be functionally literate.

Of Tasmanian students who were in year 10 in 2008, only 51 % went on to complete year 11 and 12 studies.

It is telling that Tasmania is the only state in Australia that maintains a system where secondary education finishes at year 10, and that we also have the lowest retention rates in the nation.

The Liberal education policy for year 7-12 High Schools will address our retention black-hole and will build a job ready generation.

Such a substantial but necessary reform won’t take place overnight, and after a decade of Labor experiments it is essential that we get it right, at a sensible pace, and take the community with us.

We are committed to consulting widely with all those who share our passion for education, and will make changes only after a clear implementation plan has been developed. This stands in stark contrast with the ego-driven approach taken by this government.

We will start by expanding the offering of vocational, year 11 and year 12 subjects in Rural and Regional High Schools. As part of this process we will explore how best to utilise technology such as the NBN, so geography is no longer a disadvantage.

We will then move to gradually expand secondary education to year 12 in major population centres.

The first stages of this long-term visionary policy will be funded from our new $60 Million School Retention and Education Renewal Fund.

Under our visionary plan, city-based colleges could be retained as places of year 11-12 and adult skills and academic training, depending on the needs of local communities.

We will not close or sell existing colleges.

TAS Shadow Minister for Education Michael Ferguson

Tasmania Opposition Leader Will Hodgman

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Education Michael Ferguson

Liberals Will Save Schools From Closure – $60 Million Education Investment And School Retention Fund

Victor P Taffa

The Liberals will save the 20 schools that Labor and the Greens want to close.

We will create a new $60 Million Education Investment and School Retention Fund, a fund that will be available to keep open schools that Labor and the Greens want to forcibly close.

Ms. Giddings’ announcement last Thursday that the Government will be closing up to 20 schools was yet another broken Labor-Green promise.

These closures were announced with no consultation with school communities, in a “shoot first, ask questions later” approach.

While we recognise the challenges of demographic change, consultation with communities should take place first.

No forced closures used to be Labor’s policy.

No forced closures used to be the Greens’ policy – until they became obsessed with the trappings and perks of power.

No forced school closures remain Liberal policy.

We recognise in regional areas in particular, the closure of a local school can mean the death of a community; and hours spent on a school bus for children as young as four of five just isn’t acceptable.

Our $60 Million fund is enough to deliver the savings required to rescue all the schools Mr. McKim wants to close as well as boosting secondary education.

In the interests of students and local communities we will fight for each and every school on the Minister’s hit list.

TAS Shadow Minister for Education Michael Ferguson

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Health Jeremy Rockliff

Projections Of Waiting List Blow-Out Reveals True Impact Of Budget Health Cuts

Victor P Taffa

The Government’s own projections of longer waiting lists and slower response times reveal the real effect of cutting half a billion dollars from the Health Budget, Shadow Minister for Health Jeremy Rockliff said today.

“It’s utter madness for the Minister for Health to say the cuts won’t impact on patient care, when her own Budget Papers predict” –

• A blow-out in the elective surgery wait list to almost 9,000 people;
• A reduction in the number of Category 1 patients seen within 30 days;
• Emergency ambulance response times increasing;
• A spiraling waiting list for adult dental care.

“A cut of $100 Million this year will be felt at all levels of health service delivery, from community nursing in rural communities, to busy city Emergency Departments.” Mr. Rockliff said.

“Last night a frontline nurse told me services were already down to the bone; no more savings could be made without compromising patient care.”

“This week a patient needing an urgent endoscopy was told to wait another six months. Governments have an obligation to deliver essential services like public health and hospital services.”

“Frontline services are essential to people’s lives and, in many cases, essential to saving people’s lives; this Government is wrong to make cuts in this area.” Mr. Rockliff said.

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Primary Industries and Water Jeremy Rockliff

Farmers And Regional Areas Let Down By Govt’s Lack Of Support

Victor P Taffa

Instead of supporting Tasmanian farmers, the Green-Labor Government has delivered a budget that is nothing more than re-announcements and cost slugs and highlights the fact that the Government does not care about farmers according to Shadow Minister for Primary Industries and Water Jeremy Rockliff.

“At a time when exotic pest and disease incursions are spiralling and the threat of an outbreak is looming, the biosecurity funding, which takes a real terms cut of $1.5 Million, does not reflect the importance of keeping the state’s relative pest and disease free status.”

“Funding for the much-hyped Wealth from Water program is nowhere near what was promised in 2010, and we see the end of the Innovation Farming Systems Program and the Agrifood Skills Pipeline.” Mr. Rockliff said.

“At a time when farmers are at their most vulnerable, the Green-Labor Government will now also sting them with higher fees and charges that will drive down returns, with substantial increases of licence fees to the tune of $4 Million with no explanation provided.”

“The state’s poppy growers will also feel the pain, now having to wear the full cost of the Poppy Advisory and Control Board from 2012-13.”

“Many of the state’s rural and regional communities will also be hit hard the by the closure of 16 rural schools.” Mr. Rockliff said.

“Schools are the hub of any rural community and the very social and community infrastructure that keeps regional areas alive.”

“Closing 16 schools in rural areas will only further disadvantage these communities in these tough times.”Mr. Rockliff said.

“Tasmanian farmers have faced one of the most challenging seasons on record at a time when their costs, including power prices, are going through the roof, and this budget simply does not reflect that.”

“Farmers continue to suffer at the hands of Green-Labor financial mismanagement as the Government fails to adequately support the wealth generating industry.” Mr. Rockliff said.

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Forestry Peter Gutwein

Timber Communities Support For Native Forestry Welcomed

Victor P Taffa

The Liberals welcome news that Timber Communities Australia will be holding a rally at Parliament House on 21^st June in support of continued native forest harvesting, Shadow Minister for Forestry Peter Gutwein said today.

“The rally is being organised by the Huon Resource Development Group, a member of Timber Communities Australia, and was endorsed in an email newsletter sent last night to TCA members by the head of TCA in Tasmania.”

“This support from Timber Communities Australia is particularly welcome given that TCA is a signatory to the disastrous Statement of Principles which proposes the end of native forest harvesting in Tasmania.” Mr. Gutwein said.

“Everywhere I go people – including many grassroots members of Timber Communities Australia – tell me that the Green-Labor Statement of Principles plan to end native forestry in madness, and we agree.”

“That is why we have proposed a balanced 13-Point Plan for Forestry which protects and grows jobs, allows for improved environmental outcomes, and importantly, allows for native forest harvesting into perpetuity.” Mr. Gutwein said.