Thank you – thank you everyone.

Thank you.

I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we gather. Can I pay my respects to Elders past and present, and acknowledge the Aboriginal people who are here with us today.

Thank you to my Deputy, Anita Dow – both for her contribution this morning and for everything she’s done for our party. I couldn’t ask for a more loyal and honest colleague.

Thank you Sarah, for reminding us exactly why Tasmania needs a Fresh Start.

And thank you to the Treasurer—what an introduction!

Jim’s someone who knows what it takes to clean up the mess the Liberal Party always leaves for Labor.

And he’s someone who reminds us every day that serious leadership and credible policy is the only way to instil genuine hope there are better days ahead.

Not false promises about cut-price insurance – but serious plans to take our community forward together.

I also acknowledge our friends in the labour movement, who always stand shoulder to shoulder with working people. I’m proud to have you here today and look forward to delivering a Fresh Start for your members.

And speaking of a Fresh Start – what better place than here, on the waterfront in Devonport, to highlight exactly why Tasmania needs change.

Our state deserves so much better than what we’ve been getting.

And yes, after the Spirits fiasco, even basic competence would be a start.

But we should want more than that. Much more.

We should be a state where family incomes keep up with the cost of living – not one where household expenses just keep going up and up.

We should be a state where healthcare is available and affordable, in our suburbs and our regions – not one where people avoid going to the doctor because they can’t get in or can’t afford it.

We should be a state that helps shape the future of this nation through renewable energy investment and economic ambition, not one that simply turns to Canberra for handouts for every problem.

We should be a state where young people are supported to succeed, and where they see a future for themselves with exciting careers and a fair shot at home ownership – not one where we simply accept record numbers of our kids leaving for the mainland.

And we should be a state with the courage to tackle our biggest challenges head on, to take the tough decisions when they’re required, and to build a better, fairer and stronger Tasmania for the next generation.

Because at the end of the day, that’s what this is all about.

It’s why I get up in the morning, and it’s what keeps me up at night.

A Fresh Start for Tasmania, so we leave the place in better shape than we found it.

Ensuring our kids have it better than we did – more opportunity, more ambition, and more hope for the future.

A better Tasmania for the next generation.

That’s what drives me.

And that’s what will drive the next Labor Government.

I stand before you today proud to be the Leader of the Labor Party.

But the reason I’m here is simply because I’m a dad.

A Tasmanian dad who wants nothing more than to build a better future for my kids—and for every child growing up in this incredible place.

And on that note, can I give one special shout out.

My son George turns 10 tomorrow and it’s his birthday party later this afternoon - that’s why he’s not here!  And I’ll be rushing off straight after this to make it in time.

Happy birthday for tomorrow mate.

And to Harriet, who dominated this week’s southern dance eisteddfod’s, and who is supposed to be here but is one of - what feels like thousands of Tasmanians - off sick at the moment - can’t wait to see you tonight.

I’m doing this for George and Harriet, but for every other young person in this state.  I know it’s time for Tasmania to choose a new direction.

A Fresh Start.

Sometimes the feeling I get from our community towards our politicians is one that they have given up.  After 11 years of the Liberals they have almost become desensitised to chaos.  To failure.  To stuff up.

The Liberals who almost blacked out the state, leaving our dams empty and having to import diesel power generators to keep the lights on.

The Liberals who promised we would be the healthiest state by 2025, but we sit here as the least healthy.

The Liberals who promised our young people their education results would meet the national average by now, but instead they have not moved. 

A government that promised us a four lane midland highway, an underground bus mall, a northern suburbs light rail, a northern prison, a tamar bridge, project marinus, a statewide planning scheme.

And of course two new Spirits of Tasmania operating by 2021.

Friends, it does not need to be this way. 

Parents are working harder than ever and still falling behind. Buying a home is out of reach for young adults. Health services are breaking under pressure. Families are struggling to access childcare and health services.

And for the first time in a long time, Tasmanians are asking: if we keep going like this, is the next generation really going to be better off?

It doesn't have to be this way.

I know we can do better.

And I believe – with the right leadership – Tasmania’s best days will be ahead of us.

We are in this election fight because of the arrogance of the Liberal Party.  They have stopped listening to Tasmanians.  They are incompetent and they are out of touch. 

 When challenges arise - the Liberals pretend those challenges do not exist.

When this year’s budget was tabled, it all came crashing down.  The deals they had done to form a government, already shattered, stood for nothing.  Just like the Liberal Party.

A budget no opposition worth its title could have let go by.  A budget that mortgaged our children’s future and set a course that Tasmania may never have survived.

We are here because this is a Liberal Government that does not listen and we have a Premier who put his own self interest in front of the State’s best interest.

I’ve been painted as a bit of an underdog.  I have got to tell you that’s just fine by me.

I’ve been an underdog my whole life.

From the west coast. We were underdogs over there too. 

Mum was a nurse and dad a miner.

They had nothing when I was born.

I suffered a speech impediment when I was a kid and they drove me across the country to get the healthcare I needed - because I couldn’t get it here.

When I was having trouble reading and writing as a kid, my mum, coming off long shifts at the hospital, poured everything into me.  So that I could succeed.

When I became CEO of TasICT as a 26 year old, people said I was too young.  But we fought for Tasmania’s NBN rollout to be built in full, and for the most part we succeeded. 

When I ran to be Kingborough Council’s youngest ever Mayor - no one thought I could win.  With the community’s support - we did.

Yeah, I’m an underdog.  I always have been.

But we have to win. 

Because we are united as a movement. 

Because I’ve seen what’s possible when people work together.

Because after 11 years, Tasmania needs a fresh start under Labor.

Because right now, this state doesn’t need gimmicks. It doesn’t need make-believe state-owned insurance companies designed for distraction, not solution. It doesn’t need more of the same.

It needs new leadership and a Fresh Start.

Over the course of this campaign, we’ve announced Labor’s Plan for a Fresh Start for Tasmania.

This is a real plan – with serious policies to build our state’s future. It’s not about doing what’s easy. It’s about doing what’s right.

Our plan is focused on building a better future for Tasmanians.

Because if this generation of young Tasmanians doesn’t get the chance to thrive – to live, to work, to raise a family here – then what are we doing?

Labor’s Fresh Start is about making sure everyone reaches their potential. It’s about economic responsibility. It’s about unlocking opportunities.

And above all – it’s about hope for the future.

Labor’s Plan starts with the basics:  fixing the state’s finances.

The Liberals have had 11 years in office – and they’ve created the biggest budget mess in our history.

I know the budget isn’t a sexy topic.  But I’ll tell you why it's so important.

Interest repayments alone will cost Tasmanians over half a billion dollars every year. That’s money that could go to schools, hospitals or housing – wasted on interest.

Our plan will fix the mess. Not with austerity. But by bringing people together – business, unions, community – to get the state back in better shape.

That’s the Labor way.

We won’t sell public assets. We won’t cut the services that Tasmanians rely on. But we will take responsibility.

Because the future of Tasmania’s young people depends on it.

Labor’s purpose is to create safe, secure, well-paid jobs.

That’s our fundamental purpose.

And our vision to create jobs in this state.

We’ll stop the cuts and the privatisation in the public sector – because nurses, teachers and firefighters shouldn’t be treated like a cost. They’re an investment in all of us.

We’ll back traditional industries like forestry, mining and aquaculture.

We’ll unlock the night-time economy – supporting hospitality, music and the arts – so young people don’t have to leave Tasmania to find an exciting city or a career they love.

We’ll back tourism and we’ll bring our Spirits home.

We’ll invest in renewable energy – building new windfarms around the state – to make Tasmania the renewable energy powerhouse of the nation, creating thousands of skilled jobs along the way.

Because in the end, every job we create is a reason for a young person to stay in Tasmania – to build a life here, and to believe in their future.

Few issues are more important to our young people than housing.

Young Tasmanians are being priced out of the communities they grew up in. They’re stuck in the rental market for years.

It’s eroding their hope for the future and it can’t go on.

Labor will take real action to build more homes. We’ll cut red tape for housing developments in half.

We’ll invest in urban renewal in our cities and towns.

We’ll back first home buyers with real support. And we’ll get more apartments built close to where people work.

Labor’s Plan for a Fresh Start will see thousands of new homes built in coming years.

And it will ensure young people can get a foot in the door and set down roots for their future, right here in Tasmania.

Right now, Tasmanians are being squeezed from every direction.

Electricity, water, car rego, school fees – it’s all going up. Families need help.

Labor’s Plan for a Fresh Start provides real, responsible cost-of-living relief from day one.

We’ll cap power price rises to put an end to bill shock.

We’ll give every child a voucher to play sport – because no child should miss out because of money.

We’ll freeze car registration – and halve it for apprentices, because families and young workers deserve a break.

We’ll make sure every big bill has the option to pay at least monthly, at no extra cost.

And we’ll provide a bit of extra help for those who need it most – because that’s the Labor way.

Lifting living standards through good jobs, fair wages and affordable cost-of-living is what we do.

It’s how we’ll help families thrive, and give young people hope there’s a place for them in Tasmania’s future.

Real, immediate cost of living relief is a fundamental part of our Plan for a Fresh Start for Tasmania.

Because cost-of-living relief isn’t optional – it’s urgent.

And then there’s healthcare.

If you or someone in your family has tried to see a GP, or waited in the Emergency Department, or needed a hospital bed – you know how serious this is.

Healthcare in Tasmania is in crisis.

Four more years of the Liberals will not fix it. They’ve had eleven. And every year that goes by, Tasmanians are seeing worse and worse results.

We need a new approach.

Labor’s plan will bring more healthcare closer to where people live – in our suburbs, towns and regions.

We’ll put more mental health services in schools – because too many kids aren’t getting the help they need.

We’ll upgrade regional hospitals with nurse-first clinics – so families in the regions can get the care they deserve.

We’ll train and hire more doctors and nurses – good jobs, for young Tasmanians, in communities that need them.

And we’ll take action, where the Liberals haven’t, to ensure Tasmanians can access a free appointment with a regular doctor.

Everywhere I go, people tell me the biggest health issue they want fixed is the fact that it takes too long to get an appointment with a GP, and it costs too much when they can.

And since we launched TassieDoc–Labor’s plan for free doctor clinics across the state–I’ve been stunned by the response.

Doctors saying they want to get involved.

Tasmanians begging for them to be put in their communities.

Even the Liberals saying it’s a good idea!

So today I’m proud to announce that we’ll be doubling down on our commitment.

Ten new free doctors clinics, right around the state.

Working hand in hand with the Federal Labor Government, and powered by Medicare, we’ll make sure Tasmanians can access free doctor appointments no matter where they live.

In Burnie.

Here in Devonport.

In Launceston and in Hobart.

And we’ll double down on our commitment to get more doctors in Tasmania.

We’ll introduce legislation to ensure contracted doctors are spared from payroll tax, permanently.

We’ll waive it for trainee doctors too.

Because if you want more doctors trained, taxing the clinics who take them on is the wrong approach.

We’ll set up a joint State and Federal taskforce to ensure both governments are working every single day to recruit and train more doctors in our state.

And all this, of course, is on top of our $2 million doctor incentive program that will support the training of 150 new doctors.

Labor’s plan means more doctors.

More free doctor clinics.

More appointments for Tasmanian families.

No out of pocket costs, and less waiting.

Cost of living relief, and better healthcare.

Friends, it’s time for a Fresh Start.

So, Tasmanians now face a choice.

After 11 years of the Liberals – what do we have?

A broken health system. A housing crisis. A mountain of debt. Young people leaving. Families struggling.

What will four more years of Liberals achieve?

They’ve had their chance. They’ve made their choices.

Right now, Tasmania is at a crossroads.

This election is a choice between a Labor Government that will give Tasmania a fresh start, or the Liberals who will you out at every turn.

It’s time for a Fresh Start.

My message to Tasmanians today is this:  If you want a fresh start with a new government - you must vote Labor.  Last time you tried voting independents, and they just did deals with the Liberals. 

The only way to change the government is to vote Labor. 

A vote for Labor is a vote for real investment in health and housing.

For genuine cost-of-living relief.

For financial responsibility – without cuts or privatisation.

For a fairer economy, with good jobs for young people - to keep them here.

And for a hopeful, ambitious, and exciting Tasmania.

This election is a chance to turn the page on 11 years of the Liberals.

A chance to choose optimism over decline.

A chance to give every young Tasmanian a reason to see a future for themselves in this state.

So let’s make that choice.

Let’s build a better, fairer and stronger future for our state.

Let’s do it for our kids.

For every family who’s holding on through tough times.

For the next generation of Tasmanians, who deserve a better deal than the one they’ve been given.

Who deserve hope for their future.

Let’s give them hope.

And let’s give Tasmania the Fresh Start it needs – together.

Thank you.