Tasmania’s economy going backwards under Liberals

Tasmanian Labor
  • Worst result of all the states
  • Economic growth below trend and slowing down
  • Regional Tasmania completely left behind
  • A major report tracking Australia’s economic recovery shows Tasmania is faring worst of all the states.

    The ANZ Stateometer judged Tasmania to be the only state where the economy is “performing below trend and decelerating”, highlighting the Gutwein Government’s inability to deliver the economic recovery and jobs it promised Tasmanians.

    The report shows regional job losses in Tasmania are the worst in the nation, retail is performing worse than anywhere in the country, and interstate tourism spending is down by nearly 40%.

    “This should be a massive wakeup call for Peter Gutwein and the Liberal Government,” Mr O’Byrne said.

    “Alarm bells should be going off in the Premier’s office, but instead it seems we’ll be getting more of his complacency and inaction.

    The Liberals’ claim they are building Tasmania out of recession simply doesn’t stack up.

    The mid-year budget update shows the Government is likely to underspend by nearly $600-million on new infrastructure that Peter Gutwein promised would be built this year.

    On the Government’s own numbers that’s 3,000 fewer jobs across Tasmania.

    “We haven’t seen one major project get off the ground and now our economy is running out of steam. The Premier needs to accept responsibility for this massive failure and he needs to tell Tasmanians how he’s going to get the promised infrastructure program back on track.”

    Labor’s plan for jobs lays out an ambitious program of projects, direct investment and skills training especially targeted at the regions.

    “Tasmania needs Labor’s economy-wide recovery plan to create 35,000 jobs and get our state back to work.”

    David O’Byrne MP

    Shadow Treasurer

    /Public Release. View in full here.