The house of cards Hodgman Budget has already started to unravel with the so-called infrastructure budget failing to deliver.
The Tasmanian Government’s spending on infrastructure actually goes down over the forward estimates, masked by a modest improvement in money from Canberra.
The Liberals’ claim that they are going into $1.1 billion in net debt – after Labor paid off their last billion-dollar debt – to fund infrastructure is made to look absurd when they’re spending barely more than $200 million over the forward estimates.
Infrastructure projects have been delayed including:
• Hobart Airport Interchange
• Midland Highway
• South East Traffic Solution
• Binalong Bay Road
• Mowbray Interconnector
• Tasmanian Journeys
• West Tamar Highway Traffic Solution
Shadow Minister for Roads and Infrastructure David O’Byrne said the Hodgman Liberal Government was desperately trying to use infrastructure to cover up for their plunge into $1.1 billion in debt.
“In boasting of a big spending infrastructure budget, Peter Gutwein and Jeremy Rockliff have be caught out cooking the books,” Mr O’Byrne said.
“Not one road infrastructure project has been commenced in Tasmania that was not already announced by the previous Federal and State Labor Governments.
“This is five wasted years.
“Jeremy Rockliff promised to release a 30-year infrastructure strategy before the end of 2018, then it was delayed until March and now it won’t be delivered this financial year.
“The Liberals are breaking key infrastructure promises while trying to claim this is an infrastructure budget.
“The Hobart Airport Roundabout upgrade was announced in 2014 and is yet to be started.
“The Hodgman Liberal Government’s track record on infrastructure in Tasmania is woeful.”
David O’Byrne MP
Shadow Roads and Infrastructure Minister
