Tasmania is heading in the right direction under the Liberal Government.
Since the
election almost a year ago, more than 7,000 new jobs have been created,
business confidence has risen to the highest in the country and we now have the
narrowest gap between the state and national unemployment rate since 2011.
While it is early days and there is still a long way to go, we have momentum.
Retail trade has had its strongest year, housing approvals have increased 26 per cent compared to the previous 12 months and construction is booming. These are the signs of a strong, growing economy.
While we recognise the best way to guarantee growth is with the whole community working together, there's no doubt our policy decisions have had an impact.
In December last year a Sensis Business Index found: "Confidence is growing faster in Tasmania than anywhere else, moving from equal lowest under Labor and the Greens at the start of 2014, to equal second highest under the Liberals at the end of 2014."
That same report said: "Support from Tasmanian businesses for the Tasmanian Government has also gone from the worst in the country under Labor and the Greens to the second best in the nation."
On coming into Government we swiftly abolished headworks charges, which had hamstrung development. This has played a central role in the doubling of development and building assessments in its first six months of operation.
As Tasmanian developer Michael Vos said at the launch of the Macquarie No. 1 Shed development in May last year: "I also want to acknowledge the support we have received from our Liberal Government. As promised they have waived the headworks charges for new developments for two years which has made a huge difference in helping to make this project viable. In fact, that has given us the confidence to commit to two more new developments in Tasmania, which I will talk more about over the coming months."
Our 'local benefits test' policy is also proving a success, in its first eight months there have been over 203 contracts awarded to Tasmanian businesses compared with 131 in the eight months prior.
As economist Saul Eslake told the Mercury last month: "There clearly has been a very significant lift in confidence since the change of government and it has been sustained."
We are more than happy to be judged on our record, and we are continuing this practice with the Government's second year Plan, which outlines our policy objectives for the coming year and when we plan to deliver them.
There is still more to be done, but Tasmania is heading in the right direction.