Delivering for Tasmanians where it matters most

Jeremy Rockliff,Premier

The Tasmanian Liberal Government is hard at work every single day to deliver for Tasmanians, in the areas that matter most.

While the current COVID situation is proving challenging, we are continuing to move forward and invest where it’s needed to ensure our State is looking to the future with optimism.

This past week we have:

  • Held the first meeting of the new Ministerial Reference Group that will aim to address any gaps in our response to housing and homelessness and to help guide our longer-term plan of 10,000 new homes by 2032;
  • Bolstered our border protections to protect against the threat of Foot and Mouth Disease, with eight additional Biosecurity staff engaged to help deliver increased inspection and surveillance activities;
  • Released the independent review into the Patient Travel Assistance Scheme, and announced we will implement all 35 recommendations;
  • Released a Discussion Paper on our 10-Year Salmon Plan;
  • Advocated strongly to Cricket Australia to ensure Tasmanian cricket fans do not miss out on these international matches in the future;
  • Released the Tasmanian Trade Action Plan 2022-23 that will support emerging and established exporters over the coming 12 months;
  • Seen strong ABS data released, with Labour Force data confirming 29,000 more Tasmanians are in work than when we were elected in 2014, and Building Activity data confirming there were 1,070 building completions in the March 2022 quarter;
  • Announced 41 successful projects and programs that are being funded through the Premier’s Fund for Children and Young People;
  • Launched a new Service Tasmania website to provide Tasmanians with a single, secure and easy-to-use access point for Government services;
  • Announced an expansion of the No Interest Loan Scheme, which will increase from $1500 to $2000, as part of our targeted support in our vital community service sector;
  • Appointed independent Co-Chairs of the Governance Advisory Panel which will conduct the Review into the Launceston General Hospital and Human Resources;
  • Announced further action on the Burnie Court EOI process, with three sites identified to be the subject of further investigations;
  • Opened Women’s Legal Service Tasmania’s (WLST) new office in Launceston, made possible thanks to our strong investment in the legal assistance sector in Tasmania;
  • Opened nominations for the 2022 Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women;
  • Sworn in a new Magistrate, bringing the number of permanent Magistrates to 17 – a record number for Tasmania; and
  • Opened the next round of the Ambulance Tasmania Community Defibrillator Fund that will see 90 Automatic External Defibrillators distributed to rural and remote communities around the State.

The community also continues to do a fantastic job as we continue to transition to live with COVID-19, and I thank all our hard-working health staff who are doing an amazing job, under very challenging circumstances.

On Monday, I will attend National Cabinet and further discuss our ongoing response, including the need for the Federal Government to reinstate the Federal Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment, COVID-19 Home Medicines Service and the provision of Rapid Antigen Testing to concession card holders.

In the meantime, we continue to urge Tasmanians to remain vigilant, and ensure you are taking personal responsibility by following the COVID-safe behaviours – practice good hand hygiene, follow social distancing and wear a mask when you can’t, particularly indoors.

/Public Release. View in full here.