23 August 2016

Peter Gutwein, Treasurer

Hodgman Government committed to job creation

The Hodgman Government’s number one priority is jobs.

That is why we are working hard to create the right environment to attract investment, grow the economy and create jobs.

It is worth remembering that under Labor and the Greens, unemployment reached more than 8 per cent, the economy was in recession, youth unemployment peaked at around 20 per cent and more than 20 000 people were on the unemployment queue.  As a result, businesses were shutting their doors and business confidence collapsed.  If that wasn’t bad enough, the budget was deep in deficit.

Labor and the Greens can’t hide from their record, nor can Mr Bacon forget that when unemployment under Labor and the Greens hit a staggering 8.6 per cent, he described it only as a “disappointing” result.

While there is still a lot of work to do, we have come a long way in the last two years.

Today, unemployment is at 6.4 per cent, the economy is growing at the fastest rate in six years, retail sales are at record highs and importantly, the budget is back in the black.

We understand how important it is to manage the budget responsibly.  Getting Labor's debt under control, getting our Budget back on track means that we can reinvest in essential services and partner with industry to create and support jobs.

There are no silver bullets, which is why the Government has a long-term and multi-faceted Plan to support job creation. 

Just some of the measures we are undertaking to help create jobs include:

• Implementing a headworks holiday - which underpinned a massive increase of 83 per cent in new applications and brought forward investments like the $35 million Mac
  One hotel development;
• The local benefits test – and within eight months there had been a 55 per cent increase in a number of Tasmanian businesses able to win government contracts;
• a $425 million job creation package in this year’s budget;
• Investment of $1.8 billion in infrastructure;
• A single state-wide planning scheme;
• Cutting red and green tape with the Building Bill;
• Doubled the First Home Builders Grant to $20,000;
• $60 million Affordable Housing Strategy – 941 new homes, 550 jobs;
• $90 million Northern Cities development - $300 million in infrastructure investment and 3000 construction and ongoing jobs;
• $113 million School Infrastructure funding;
• Rescued the $689 million Royal Hobart Hospital redevelopment – biggest public sector project ever;
• EOI in parks/reserves – unlocking investment potential of around $75 million and creating approximately 275 jobs in regional areas;
• $31 million refurbish the Spirits – passengers now up 26% compared to last year of Labor-Greens;
• An exciting $45 million hotel and hospitality training facility, part of $65 million Kangaroo Bay development;
• Advanced Manufacturing Transition Fund – 156 new jobs, $11 million co-investment;
• $60 million Tranche 2 irrigation scheme plan, already unlocking jobs with Reid Fruits expansion creating 30 FTE jobs and 200 jobs in picking season;
• $5.5 million to support our farmers affected by the recent disastrous floods;
• $500 million Midland Highway upgrades;
• Uber starting up by the end of the year;
• NDIS full roll-out – an estimated 2500 jobs;
• $90 million Creative Industries and Performing Arts development;
• Wood & Fibre Processing Innovation Program;
• $21 million Glenorchy Health Centre now underway;
• Tasmanian Jobs and Investment Fund - $92 million total investment, 770 new jobs, 56 projects funded; and
• Trade missions to China which has seen trade to China increase by 80 per cent in the past 12 months, and we are now branching out to India, Singapore, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

The contrast could not be any clearer. Labor and the Greens have no credibility when it comes to jobs and the economy and only the Hodgman Government has a plan that is delivering.

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