Tasmania Shadow Minister for Mining Adam Brooks

Greens’ Great Tarkine Falsehood Exposed

Victor P Taffa

The Greens’ opposition to proposed tourism infrastructure upgrades in the Tarkine region has exposed their falsehood to North-West Tasmanians over future job prospects, Shadow Minister for Mining Adam Brooks said.

“Along with their front group, the Tarkine National Coalition, headed by a perennial Greens candidate, the Greens have long argued that jobs will be created in tourism through the heritage listing of the Tarkine.”

“But here we have a tourism-related project and the Greens are opposing it. Their unfounded claims of an increased threat to the Tasmanian Devil are nothing but hyperbole, while their claim that tourism will benefit from locking up this huge area has been exposed for the mistruth that it is.”Mr. Brooks said.

“Make no mistake: The Greens do not want tourism growth in the Tarkine; they do not want more visitors on the roads, or more infrastructure in the region.”

“If this region is locked up, we will see the loss of new mines, which will spell the decline and eventual end of the mining industry as old operations close.”

“The result will be a youth exodus from North-West Tasmania, not seen since the dark days of the early ‘90s, where a loss of job opportunities gave our young people no choice but to leave.” Mr. Brooks said.

Tasmania Shadow Treasurer Peter Gutwein

Government Can’t Be Believed On Asset Sales

Victor P Taffa

The Green-Labor Government can’t be believed in their claims that they won’t sell more government assets to plug their billion dollar budget black hole, according to Shadow Treasurer Peter Gutwein.

“Today we saw the Premier stand before Parliament and tell Tasmanians that no other Government assets would be sold.”

“But the Green-Labor Government has form. Only 12 months ago, former treasurer Michael Aird ruled out the sale of TOTE – now it is on the market.” Mr. Gutwein said.

“Only three days ago two Government members agreed that on the evidence presented to them it was premature to sell the TOTE and then changed their minds overnight for reasons that are still to be clearly explained.”

“So what government asset will Labor and the Greens sell next? The simple fact is this Green-Labor Government can’t be trusted and must come clean on any plans for future asset sales.” Mr. Gutwein said.

“They have already broken their key promise not to sell TOTE – how can the Premier now be trusted when she says no other Government assets will be sold?”

“Unlike Labor and the Greens, the Liberals’ position is clear. We don’t believe that TOTE, or any other Government asset, should be sold to fund recurrent expenditure as a result of their billion dollar budget black hole.” Mr. Gutwein said.

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Environment Matthew Groom

More Information Needed On CDS

Victor P Taffa

While the Liberals support the concept of a Container Deposit Scheme (CDS), more information is needed in order to develop a suitable scheme for Tasmania, according to Shadow Minister for Environment Matthew Groom.

“Following debate in the Legislative Council today, we remain supportive of the concept of a CDS provided it can be shown to be effective and cost efficient.”

“In our view, further work needs to be done to properly understand the design such a scheme should take in order to ensure it is effective and cost efficient.” Mr. Groom said.

“An inquiry into Container Deposit Legislation is currently under way in Victoria and the report is due in early 2012.”

“This report will specifically address cost of living concerns as well as other important matters that should be examined prior to introducing a CDS. This could potentially help inform the debate here in Tasmania.” Mr. Groom said.

“Further, the roll-out of a scheme in the Northern Territory in January 2012 will also provide us with further insight into how to best develop a scheme in Tasmania, particularly where an existing curbside collection scheme is in place.”

“There is no doubt that Tasmanians have serious concerns about litter rates, with Tasmania having the worst litter rate in the country.”

“But it is important that any strategy is developed in the best interest of Tasmanians, and is practical and cost effective.” Mr. Groom said.

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Mining Adam Brooks

Greens’ Cynical Attempt To Use Devil Plight To Lock-Up The Tarkine

Victor P Taffa

The Greens should be condemned for their cynical attempt to use the terrible plight of the Tasmanian devil in their campaign to lock-up the Tarkine, Shadow Minister for Mining Adam Brooks said.

“We all want to save the Tasmanian Devil – but locking up the Tarkine isn’t going to do that. These are two separate issues and Mr. O’Halloran knows that.”

“The fact tumors have been found on Devils in the region would seem to prove that preventing further development will not halt this cruel disease.” Mr. Brooks said.

“The Greens’ attempts to suggest otherwise demonstrate their anti-jobs and anti-investment agenda.”

“The Liberals have long-held the position that locking-up the Tarkine would kill off vital new mining projects and investment that would create hundreds of desperately needed jobs in the North-West.” Mr. Brooks said.

“But the Greens seem more interested in locking-up fundamental projects and ensuring that development is killed off and our ailing economy continues to suffer.”

“At a time when our economy is flat-lining is in desperate need of investment, Labor and the Greens should be doing everything they can to help grow the state, rather than shut it down.”

“In contrast, the Liberals strongly support development and investment in Tasmania, as shown in our policies to re-boot the economy, create jobs and tackle the spiraling cost of living.” Mr. Brooks said.

Tasmania Shadow Treasurer Peter Gutwein

1,000 Jobs Disappear Under Giddings’ Watch; Low Participation Rate Hides Extent Of Unemployment Problem

Victor P Taffa

While the Liberals welcome the minor growth in jobs in October, the fact remains that 1,000 jobs have disappeared in the 10 months since Lara Giddings became Premier, Shadow Treasurer Peter Gutwein said today.

“What is even more disturbing is the fact that our appallingly low participation rate, which is nearly 10 % below the national rate, is hiding the real unemployment problem in our state.”

“The low participation rate means that Tasmanians are either simply giving up looking for work, or worse still, moving interstate to find a job.” Mr. Gutwein said.

“The fact is, the Green-Labor Government has no policies and no vision for creating jobs and rescuing our economy and there is absolutely no chance that they will keep their promise to create 15,000 new jobs by 2014.”

“In fact, their only plan for Tasmania is to shut down the forest industry and sack teachers, nurses and Police.” Mr. Gutwein said.

“In contrast, the Liberals have a plan to grow Tasmania by re-booting the economy, creating jobs and tackling the spiralling cost of living.” Mr. Gutwein said.

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Forestry Peter Gutwein

IGA A Farce – Government Gives Up On Triabunna, Must Come Clean On New Woodchip Mill Plans

Victor P Taffa

The Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) is a farce. Even though the Government’s disastrous IGA specifically requires the reopening of the Triabunna Mill, it now appears the Government will spend millions more on a new facility – at the same time as they are slashing health, education and Police, Shadow Minister for Forestry Peter Gutwein said.

“The Government must come clean on exactly how many millions of taxpayer dollars they are intending to spend on a new woodchip facility, following Premier Giddings’ concession that the Triabunna woodchip mill won’t re-open.*”

“Lara Giddings and Bryan Green have been played for fools by the ENGOs, Gunns, Jan Cameron, Graeme Wood and Alec Marr, and now it appears Tasmanian taxpayers will pay the price.” Mr. Gutwein said.

“Tasmanians have been told for months by Ms. Giddings and Mr. Green that the Triabunna mill would re-open as required by the disastrous IGA, and the payment of $34.5 Million of taxpayers’ money to Gunns and Forestry Tasmania.”

“Taxpayers have already handed over more than $1 Million for transport costs because the Triabunna mill remains closed. The question now is how much more will the disastrous IGA, designed to keep Labor in power whilst it panders to the Greens, cost taxpayers?”

“This debacle is a mess of the Government’s own making, and it is up to the Government to make clear exactly what they plan to do to solve it.” Mr. Gutwein said.

*”I don’t have a lot of confidence that Triabunna will reopen”, Lara Giddings, The Weekend Australian, 5-6 November 2011.

Tasmania Opposition Leader Will Hodgman

Stroke Unit Closure

Victor P Taffa

Reports that the Royal Hobart Hospital’s dedicated stroke unit is set to become the latest casualty of Labor and the Greens’ savage health cuts are extremely disturbing, according to Opposition Leader Will Hodgman.

“They also put the lie to the repeated claims by Labor and the Greens that their cuts to health won’t affect patient outcomes.”

According to Premier Ms Giddings herself, when opening the dedicated stroke unit in 2006 as Health Minister:

Ms Giddings said studies have shown that dedicated stroke units mean patient death rates drop by as much as 20%; hospital stays are 8% shorter, and rates of institutionalisation and dependency are lowered by 6%.*

“So in Ms Giddings own words, the closure of the Stroke Unit will increase stroke death rates in Tasmania by up to 20 %– an absolutely outrageous situation.” Mr. Hodgman said.

“Two beds in the corner of a general ward do not make a stroke unit, and Ms Giddings knows that.”

“Rather than savagely cutting vital front-line health services, it’s time that Ms Giddings and Ms O’Byrne swallowed their pride and adopted the Liberals’ alternative of almost $200 Million in non-frontline savings to the budget.”

“A good start would be to rein in Labor and the Greens’ lavish expenditure on consultants, which last year blew out by a massive $16 Million.” Mr. Hodgman said.

*Lara Giddings, Media Release, 18/9/2006

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Hospitality Adam Brooks

Hotel Occupancy Rates Drop – AGAIN

Victor P Taffa

With another drop in occupancy rates in the accommodation sector, it’s becoming a question of ‘how low must they go’ before the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality responds, Shadow Minister for Hospitality Adam Brooks said today.

“The Tasmanian Hospitality Association’s statewide occupancy levels for September show another month of decline in all three regions and average occupancy across the state for the 12 months to September decreasing by 1.38 %.”

“It’s telling that the Tasmanian occupancy level in September 2011 is even worse than during the global financial crisis. On almost every measure, the situation is worsening for Tasmanian accommodation businesses.” Mr. Brooks said.

“Ignoring the situation will not make it go away, and Scott Bacon needs to step up and take decisive action, not put his fingers in his ears and deny the gravity of the situation.”

“A rookie Minister, with no clout around the cabinet table is exactly the opposite of what the industry needs now. Mr. Bacon must prove he is up to the job and needs to do so immediately, not wait for things to deteriorate further.” Mr. Brooks said.

Tasmania Opposition Leader Will Hodgman

Giddings Lashes Out – Warped Priorities Exposed

Victor P Taffa

Premier Lara Giddings has once again shown just how out of touch she and her government is. Instead of constructively looking for savings in areas other than frontline health, the Premier has been too busy harmlessly flailing at the Liberals’ Alternative Budget, Opposition Leader Will Hodgman said.

“The simple fact is this Green-Labor Government has got its priorities horribly wrong. Ms Giddings is obviously rattled because even one of her cabinet colleagues, Nick McKim, wants to sit down with me to find alternatives to the Government’s cruel health cuts.”

“The Liberals don’t for one minute accept that Tasmanians should be made to suffer because of government incompetence.” Mr. Hodgman said.

“The $60 Million in cuts to elective surgery were not identified in the budget when it was handed down in June– there is no line item titled “cuts to elective surgery” in the budget papers.”

“In contrast, our Alternative Budget shows how savings can be found in non-essential service areas such as abolishing Park and Ride, scrapping the Tasmania Together board and administration and reducing funding to the Fox Taskforce.” Mr. Hodgman said.

“The Liberals will continue to fight for cuts in other areas before attacking frontline services in health, and I urge Nick McKim to do the same.”

“Mr. McKim has already made it clear that he doesn’t support what this government is doing, and I look forward to meeting with him to discuss how we can overturn the Government’s callous cuts to elective surgery.” Mr. Hodgman said.

Tasmania Shadow Minister for Forestry Peter Gutwein

Secrecy And Secret Deals Between Labor And The Greens Continue

Victor P Taffa

The revelation that the Premier intends to keep secret for another two weeks the outcome of the expert assessment on whether or not harvesting needs to continue within the 430,000 ha proposed for lock-up under the disastrous forest deal is clear evidence that another dirty deal is being struck between the Greens and Labor, Shadow Minister for Forestry Peter Gutwein said.

“The assessment, which the Premier concedes has been completed, I suspect concludes that harvesting must continue within the 430,000 ha area to meet the contracted supply to industry.”

“The Premier is obviously now desperately attempting to come up with some dirty backroom compromise to appease the Greens, who have wanted an immediate end to logging in these areas.” Mr. Gutwein said.

“The delay now foists more uncertainty onto the industry as they must now wait for the Premier to announce whatever deal she can strike with Nick McKim to enable them both to remain in power.”

“Make no mistake, this is not about securing a better future for the forestry industry and the Tasmanian economy, this delay and the secret dealings that will go on are about this desperate Government clinging to power.”

“In the interests of transparency and accountability the Premier should immediately release the outcome of the expert assessment rather than continue the uncertainty whilst she does another deal with the Greens to remain in power.” Mr. Gutwein said.