In an astonishing move, Labor today confirmed they don’t support additional funding for Tasmanian health and housing.
The former failed Minister for Economic Development, David O’Byrne, reiterated his claims that the Government shouldn’t use dividends from our high-performing Government Business Enterprises (GBE) to inject more funding into health and education.
The Government rejects this. It is sound Government business practice to effectively utilise special dividends from strong performing GBEs to make investments in priority areas, when the circumstances allow. The facts are that Tasmania under a majority Liberal Government has a nation leading economy and sustainable high-performing GBEs.
In some gentle advice to Mr O’Byrne, that’s why Government owns GBEs, so they can run at a profit and return a benefit to the Tasmanians who own them.
The Tasmanian majority Liberal Government makes no apology for investing GBE profits into essential services when it is required.
Mr O’Byrne and Labor’s record is not so rosy, however, as when in Government they extracted dividends from Hydro Tasmania at a time when it was facing challenges as a result of depleted water storages, let alone when he raided the Superannuation Provision Account, which was a mechanism in place to safeguard thousands of retired Tasmanians. This was the same time that the O'Byrnes slashed the health budget and sacked nurses.
Tasmanians have not forgotten Labor’s horrendous budget mismanagement, which cost the state 10,000 jobs, an economy in recession and shattered business confidence.
We will continue to manage the state’s budget responsibly and sensibly, making decisions in the best interests of Tasmanians, to grow the economy and invest record amounts in the essential services Tasmania needs, including health.