Michael Ferguson,Leader of the House
With Parliament returning this week, the Tasmanian Liberal Government is committed to implementing our plan to rebuild our economy as we continue to recover and rebuild from COVID-19.
We will bring forward a packed agenda for the spring session of Parliament that will make up for the time lost due to COVID-19 and help our state recover through a number of key reforms.
Our Major Projects assessment legislation will be introduced to Parliament, sending a clear signal that Tasmania is open for business.
The legislation will be vitally important in our recovery and will help us regenerate and create more jobs for Tasmanians, at a time when they will need it most.
Now more than ever, Tasmania needs a robust and independent assessment framework for complex developments to provide clarity and certainty for investors and the community, and that’s exactly what the major projects legislation will deliver.
Importantly, the legislation implements the promise of ‘same rules, better process’ by better aligning the current assessment processes into a single streamlined process.
And while Labor have indicated their support for the legislation, the heat will be on Rebecca White to stay the course and not bow to pressure from the Greens and their allies, as they’ve done so many times in the past when they get tested.
We will also introduce further legislation to help us manage the ongoing response to our recovery from COVID-19.
We have kept Tasmanians safe and secure during the COVID-19 pandemic and we are well-prepared should a future outbreak occur, and this will help us get on with the job of rebuilding our state and supporting Tasmanians back into secure work.
Other important legislation on the agenda includes our plan to keep Tasmanians safe by strengthening the laws regarding dangerous criminals, further bolstering our rigorous and effective biosecurity system that protects our agri-food production and exports, and strengthening Tasmania’s first comprehensive Cat Management Plan addressing domestic, stray and feral cats through the Cat Management Amendment Bill 2019.
We will continue doing all we can to get Tasmanians back into work and help our society get back to normal as we recover and rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic.
