Treasurer Michael Ferguson’s so-called cost of living measures to cover council rate relief in yesterday’s budget are essentially just business-as-usual concession card holder discounts.
Meanwhile, the Rockliff minority Government is pushing forward in imposing a bin tax which will continue to increase, and the fire levy, through local government rates.
These taxes are a broken promise, and put extra burden on ratepayers.
Cost of living is the number one issue for Tasmanians, and it’s one of the biggest issues Tasmanians have with their local councils
We also know that despite the Minister for Local Government Nic Street’s own review finding that cost of living was a key issue for younger people in its surveys, his review will not look at cost of living.
We have an out of touch Minister who admits that his plans for forced amalgamations will not reduce rates for struggling Tasmanians.
Minister Street told Leon Compton on ABC radio on April 20: “The one thing you will not hear me promise, Leon, is that amalgamations will reduce rates for ratepayers because that simply is not the case. And it’s not been the experience anywhere. We’re not talking about reducing rates … for me this has never been about cost cutting for ratepayers.”
Once again it’s clear the Liberals’ priorities are all wrong. Instead of finding ways to ease the pressure on households in the middle of a cost of living crisis, the Liberals plan to slug ratepayers with new taxes to prop up their broken budget.
Luke Edmunds MLC
Shadow Minister for Local Government & Planning