I welcome the Prime Minister coming to Tasmania and his commitment to continue working with us to take Tasmania to the next level.
The Federal Government’s productive relationship with my Government has made a significant contribution to our strong economic performance, including $1 billion in Tasmanian infrastructure funding in their Budget and the progress made on the roll-out of the NBN.
Importantly, the Federal Government remains committed to the Battery of the Nation project which will create thousands of new jobs and billions in investment in Tasmania over the next 10-15 years.
The Prime Minister certainly understands our clear position on the GST, and that we will not accept Tasmania being any worse off under any changes. We will continue to work through the proposal with the Federal Government, which independent analysis by the Productivity Commission has found could benefit the state by $112 million. But we will argue strongly for a no worse off provision to ensure the changes are good for Tasmania under any economic conditions.
I look forward to the Prime Minister addressing State Council tomorrow to further outline his plans for the nation.