The first job for Tasmania’s newest Minister is to explain how windfall from the state’s newest tax will be spent.
Shadow Treasurer, David O’Byrne, said it’s nearly a month since the point of consumption tax came into effect, but the racing industry is none the wiser.
“It seems clear that the government has still not worked out the details of the tax, despite all the time in the world to do so.
“The consumption tax is a policy Peter Gutwein shamelessly co-opted from Labor, yet he has been deliberately secretive and is keeping the industry in the dark, along with the thousands of workers who rely on the racing industry for their livelihood,” Mr O’Byrne said.
“Industry is calling for detail on how the tax windfall will be spent and it’s astonishing that the question wasn’t answered before the tax took effect on 1 January.
“Elise Archer and Peter Gutwein have now handballed the problem to rookie minister Jane Howlett.”
Mr O’Byrne said the Liberal’s own modelling suggests the tax will generate millions of dollars.
“Tasmanians expect to know where that money will be going and whether it will go where it’s needed most, to underpin the sustainability of the industry and the jobs that rely on it.
“All they can say about how they’ll spend it is that net benefits will be ‘appropriately shared’ with the racing industry.
“The racing industry will be watching to see whether the new minister can do any better than her predecessor Elise Archer and answer the questions Peter Gutwein wouldn’t.”
David O’Byrne
Shadow Treasurer
