The Labor Opposition appears to have finally come to its senses and backed the Hodgman Liberal Government’s relocation of the State’s mining agency to Burnie.
This election commitment is well supported by industry because it centres Mineral Resources Tasmania (MRT) in the service and shipping hub for Tasmanian mining.
Previously, while it flip-flopped here and there, Labor opposed the MRT relocation.
Yet in the Opposition’s “Economic Direction Statement” there is no funding committed to reverse the relocation, which suggests Labor has finally seen the light.
If that is not the case, then Rebecca White should come clean and outline where the funds would come from to relocate those MRT staff already in Burnie.
The failure to offer more than a passing mention of mining – albeit without using the word once in their supposed alternative budget – speaks volumes of how Labor takes this important industry for granted.
The Liberal Government is the strongest and most consistent supporter of our mining industry, and we are delivering in this Budget with even more funding to support innovation and to help Copper Mines of Tasmania to get back on its feet.
We hope Labor has taken one step in the right direction by finally supporting our relocation of MRT.