The Tasmanian Government’s number one priority is to keep Tasmanians safe and secure during the coronavirus pandemic.
As we move towards rebuilding a stronger Tasmania we need to acknowledge that things will be very different and factor this in as we plan for the future.
The Premier’s Economic and Social Recovery Advisory Council has been established to provide advice to the Government on strategies and initiatives to support the short to medium, and the longer term recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Recovery Council will provide advice and recommendations on how to best mitigate the economic and social impacts of the pandemic. It will also identify opportunities for economic and social renewal.
The Recovery Council will help develop the roadmap to rebuild a stronger Tasmania and will make recommendations to:
The Recovery Council will be chaired by Mr Don Challen AM, an individual that Tasmanians know and trust.
He is recognised as one of Tasmania’s leading business and community figures, and has been widely recognised for his outstanding contributions in the corporate, community, charitable and philanthropic areas.
He was Secretary of the Tasmanian Department of Treasury and Finance from 1993 to 2010 and has held a raft of significant Board roles across prominent Tasmanian businesses.
Mr Challen was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2013 for his significant work to economics and public administration in Tasmania in the treasury and finance sector.
I am very grateful to Mr Challen for providing his expertise during this most significant time for our state.
I am also very pleased that a number of highly engaged and experienced individuals have also agreed to be a part of this council, from across a broad spectrum of our community, including:
A secretariat will be established in the Department of Treasury and Finance supported by DPAC and State Growth to provide support for the Recovery Council, and will draw on resources from across Government as required.
The Recovery Council will engage directly with industry and community groups, as well as Members of Parliament who will have the opportunity to provide submissions to directly inform the development of the Recovery Council’s work.
The Recovery Council will provide advice on immediate actions and initiatives to the Government by July 2020 and an interim report containing findings and recommendations by September 2020 so that it can inform the development of the 2020-21 Budget later this year.
The timing of other reporting stages will be determined following consideration of the status of the pandemic, towards the end of 2020, as well as timing the final report to inform the 2021-22 Budget.