Labor is proud and gratified that its fully costed jobs plan Working for Tasmania has received such positive reviews and is getting so much attention from the Gutwein Government.
Shadow Labor Treasurer David O’Byrne said Peter Gutwein has spent more time talking about Labor’s jobs plan than selling his own Budget.
“Treasurer Gutwein is clearly and rightly embarrassed by his own Budget, a budget which is not a plan for jobs, it is a plan for unemployment,” Mr O’Byrne said.
“The Gutwein Government’s plan for COVID recovery relegates Tasmania to an unemployment rate of 8.5 per cent and two years of recession.
“Labor does not accept this is the best we can do for our state.
“Labor’s number one priority is to create jobs.
“Treasurer Gutwein has said, taking the advice from central banks and the IMF, that in these times governments should use their balance sheets to stimulate employment growth and economic recovery – yet he now criticises Labor’s fully costed jobs plan for doing so.
“Our plan is fully costed and achievable and Labor will be happy to be held to account for delivering on our promises in government.
“Peter Gutwein has rejected sensible ideas such as getting older people into apprenticeships and mandating apprentice numbers on civil construction works, simply because he didn’t think of them himself.
“Unfortunately Peter Gutwein’s approach is not working for Tasmania – job losses are running at fifty per cent above the national average and it’s the only state that’s still shedding jobs after the worst of the pandemic.
“As shown by the latest jobs data, Tasmania is going backwards under this Government.”
David O’Byrne MP
Shadow Treasurer
