The Tasmanian Government’s number one priority is jobs.
Premier Will Hodgman today visited Shiploads Sandy Bay, which is a prime example of the strong business confidence being seen in Tasmania.
“In just five years, Shiploads has grown to 300 employees across 11 stores,” Premier Will Hodgman said.
“Shiploads is a great example of a Tasmanian business that is confident about the future in Tasmania and has plans for further expansion and job creation.
“This Government is strongly focussed on creating jobs and encouraging investment and we are supporting economic growth through our $315 million jobs creation package in the State Budget.
“We are also rolling out programs that will directly help the retail sector, like our Buy Local campaign and our Local Benefits Test that is helping more Tasmanian businesses win Government contracts.
“While there is still a lot of work to do, we are seeing positive signs. The latest ABS data shows that in May, total retail spending hit $476.7 million, a 0.2 per cent increase on April and a 3.7 per cent increase since the Liberals were elected in March 2014.
“Along with record retail spending, we are also seeing a booming construction sector and business confidence among the highest in the nation."
Minister for State Growth Matthew Groom joined the Premier at Shiploads, which is benefitting from a Government-funded training program to upskill staff.
“This Government is about delivering real skills for real jobs,” Minister Matthew Groom said.
“Through Skills Tasmania, we are providing $262,382 to help 127 Shiploads employees gain their nationally-recognised Certificate III in Retail Operations.
“The training program, Skill-Ship, is being delivered by Tasmanian registered training organisation Scala Institute, as part of a wider workforce development program for Shiploads.
“The Government has a long-term Plan to grow the economy and create jobs and a key aspect of our plan is engaging with and investing in our Tasmanian workforce.
“We are committed to helping businesses grow by cutting red tape and reducing regulatory burdens and at the same time ensuring Tasmanians have the best possible training and employment opportunities.
“We are committed to supporting industries to grow and making sure they have the skilled workforce to do it."