As Jeremy Rockliff continues his spiral further towards $10 billion in net debt, Labor will move to amend the legislation to increase transparency and accountability about the long-term sustainability of Tasmania’s finances.

Under the Charter of Budget Responsibility Act 2007, the Department of Treasury and Finance is required to prepare a report on the long-term sustainability of the State’s finances every five years.

This time frame is too long and allows the potential for a government to run a full term without preparing a report – skating right past a critical accountability measure.

By amending the requirement to four years, every government running full term will be required to produce a report into Tasmania's long term fiscal sustainability. The current government would be required to present one in the second half of this year.

If the term of the Minority Liberal Government has taught us anything, it’s that Jeremy Rockliff can’t manage money. The $400 million cost blowout of the new Spirit of Tasmania berth is perhaps the best example.

His reckless tenure in charge of the state has compounded more than 11 years of Liberal financial mismanagement, and it needs to be reined in if the state government is going to able to provide the necessary services for future generations.

Labor has shown we are serious about getting Tasmania’s finances back on the right track, and this legislation is yet another example of how we’d do it.

Dean Winter MP
Labor Leader