Jacquie Petrusma,Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management
The Tasmanian Liberal Government is committed to keeping Tasmanians safe, and through the strong leadership of Premier Peter Gutwein we have delivered significant upgrades and extra police officers within Tasmania Police.
This includes:
* A new $5 million Longford Police Station;
* A $1 million northern Special Operations Group facility;
* A state of the art $5 million New Norfolk Police Station;
* $2 million Radio Dispatch Centre;
* Commenced construction of the new $12 million Sorell Emergency Services Hub;
* Commenced works on the $3.6 million southern Special Operations Group facility;
* Implemented the $10.6 million Country Police Station Relief Policy; and
* Launched the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which underpins the Government’s commitment of $3 million each year for the wellbeing of our emergency service responders.
We are also continuing to deliver on our commitment to rebuild Tasmania’s police service by recruiting an additional 308 police officers, and since taking on my current role, we have already recruited 70 police officers, with a further 99 graduating this year.
In terms of bushfire mitigation, we are investing $2.5 million through our multi-agency approach as part of the fuel reduction program which greatly reduced the damage from bushfires this season.
As the Minister for Parks, working alongside Premier Peter Gutwein, we have committed an unprecedented $127 million in infrastructure investment to futureproof our parks and reserves, which is continuing to support our regional economies in terms of economic activity and job creation.
A range of works recently completed or under construction includes new huts at Kia Ora and Windermere, the new Dove Lake Viewing Shelter, track repairs to the Mt Anne and Lake Judd circuit and improvements to camping and access at Cockle Creek.
We have also delivered the Tasmanian Tourism World Heritage Area Tourism Master Plan, released the TWWHA Natural Values Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2021-2031, the TWWHA Biosecurity Strategy 2021-2031 and also released the draft TWWHA Fire Management Plan which will soon be finalised.
I am also thrilled that the findings of the Next Iconic Walk Feasibility Study led to Premier Gutwein agreeing to double our investment in this exciting project to $40 million.
Finally, as Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, I am honoured to have worked with Premier Gutwein to deliver on our commitment to eliminate family and sexual violence.
We have begun the development of our third Family and Sexual Violence Action Plan, including a comprehensive public consultation process that puts victim-survivors at the centre of our approach.
In his recent State of the State address, Premier Gutwein also committed to the development of new Multidisciplinary Centres in Tasmania, which will ensure that we are providing a best practice sexual and family violence response in Tasmania.
I’ve had the privilege of working with Peter for over 12 years now, and in that time, our state has changed so much for the better.
Peter has often said he wants Tasmania to be the best place in the world in which to live, work and raise a family.
Over the past 20 years he has dedicated himself to making that dream a reality and our state is a much better place for it.
I wish Peter and his family all the best for the future – now is the time for them to have some long overdue and well-earned time together.
My sincere thanks to Peter Gutwein.
