Tasmanian Budget 2022-23

Jeremy Rockliff MP, Premier

The 2022-23 State Budget is strengthening Tasmania’s future right across the State as we deliver for all Tasmanians.

Tasmanians’ priorities are our priorities, which is why we are continuing to deliver our record infrastructure program, harness our competitive advantages and create more opportunities for Tasmanians to maintain a robust economy so that we can invest where it matters most.

For the North West, we are investing in the essential areas Tasmanians care about, including health and mental health, education, infrastructure, helping our most vulnerable, and keeping our communities safe.

Significant investments in the North West include:

Health and mental health:

$8.63 million to complete the new $10.26 million Burnie Ambulance Station;
$9 million towards the $10 million Acute Care Facility at NWRH;
$8.3 million for the NWRH domestic services;
$1.5 million to complete the $5.8 million Maternity Services facility at NWRH;
$20 million for the Mersey Community Hospital Redevelopment;
$1 million to establish the Mersey Rural Medical Workforce Centre and ongoing staffing funding of $1 million per annum;
$21.8 million to complete the $37.3 million Mersey Hospital capital upgrades;
$40 million for the North West Regional Hospital Mental Health Precinct;
$2.5 million to complete the $20 million North West Regional Hospital upgrade;
$9.2 million for ongoing operational funding to staff a second Linear Accelerator at the North West Cancer Centre; and
$340,000 for New Mornings for grief support services.

Education:

$7 million towards the redevelopment of Montello Primary School;
$5 million to complete the new $20 million Kindergarten to Year 12 Penguin School;
$23.8 million towards six new Child and Family Learnings Centres statewide, including West Ulverstone and Waratah-Wynyard;
$17.1 million towards the brand-new purpose-built $20 million North West Support School, including a hydrotherapy Pool; and
$6.95 million towards upgrading outdated classrooms statewide, including Havenview Primary School.

Helping our most vulnerable:

$4.3 million for the Youth2Independence (Y21) initiatives, including five Cluster Homes in Devonport, and a further five in Burnie;
$16 million for two new $20 million supported accommodation facilities for older Tasmanians in the North and North West;
$2.5 million to operate the new 8-unit Devonport Men’s Shelter; and
$6.9 million to continue to provide Safe Spaces including $1.9 million for Burnie.

Infrastructure:

$10 million for the Stanley Highway tourism upgrades;
An initial $3.5 million towards the $25 million Cradle Mountain to Devonport Road upgrades;
Continuation of the $280 million upgrades of the Bass Highway between Launceston and Marrawah; and
$25 million to upgrade the Dial Regional Sports Complex, commencing in 2024.

Keeping our community safe:

$40 million to provide contemporary court facilities in Burnie; and
$3.25 million for new and upgraded police housing statewide, including in Rosebery and Queenstown.

Investing in the West Coast:

$9 million towards the upgrades and maintenance of existing tracks in the Arthur-Pieman Conservation area;
$1.75 million for the ‘Edge of the World’ infrastructure development at the mouth of the Arthur River;
$18.7 million for the $40 million Next Iconic Walk Project in the Tyndall Range;
$1 million for the upgrade of the Rosebery Police Station;
Ongoing funding towards the Murchison Highway upgrade;
$18.8 million to upgrade the Lyell Highway;
Finalise the $2.1 million Strengthening Works Program to the Kanunnah Bridge;
$2.5 million to construct a new ambulance station in Queenstown as part of the $10 million Regional Health and Ambulance Facilities fund; and
$400,000 for new and upgraded equipment at the West Coast District Hospital.

Investing in King Island:

$1.3 million to support full-time Biosecurity officers on King and Flinders Island and to construct purpose-built washdown facilities;
$1 million for underwriting of regular passenger flights between Hobart and Flinders Island and King Island;
$1 million towards the $2 million power network infrastructure upgrades to support the re-opening of the Dolphin Scheelite Mine;
$74,000 for Phoenix House for improved support to the community; and
$3.25 million for new and upgraded police housing statewide, including in Currie.

The 2022-23 State Budget is delivering for all Tasmanians, including in the North West, and we will continue to do all we can to strengthen Tasmania’s future and ensure our regions can thrive into the future.

STRENGTHENING OUR FUTURE: DELIVERING FOR ALL TASMANIANS IN THE NORTH WEST