The Revised Estimates Report shows that Tasmania’s labour market is set to weaken even further, with 3,000 fewer jobs than forecast in September’s budget.

It’s clear that Premier Rockliff’s budget management is bad for the economy, and bad for jobs. Since Premier Rockliff took his government into minority, 8,700 full-time jobs have been lost.

Tasmania’s debt is spiralling out of control under the Liberal minority government. We found out yesterday that Tasmania’s budget deficit has blown out by more than half a billion dollars this year alone, and state debt has grown by another billion dollars in the last five months.

Net debt is forecast to reach $9.6 billion over the forward estimates, slugging Tasmanians with $1.5 billion worth of interest payments just to service the Liberals’ credit card, with no cash surplus in sight to stop the ballooning debt.

Tasmanians will be rightly wondering why they have nothing to show for this budget mismanagement. Business confidence is shattered, the economy is flatlining, public services are at breaking point, and planeloads of working age Tasmanians are leaving the state for better opportunities elsewhere.

Our health system is falling apart, education outcomes are lagging the nation, we are in the middle of a housing crisis and crucial infrastructure projects like the Spirits have become an international embarrassment.

Despite two negative credit outlook downgrades, countless economic reports and rock-bottom business confidence, the Liberals still don’t get it.

It’s clear that Tasmania’s debt crisis will continue to deepen unless the Liberals acknowledge the problem and change course.

Josh Willie MP
Shadow Treasurer