The latest ABS building approvals data is more proof that urgent reform is needed to fix Tasmania’s planning scheme that has become utterly broken after 10 years of Liberal neglect.

Just 213 total dwelling units were approved for the month of November. In the past year, there have been 430 fewer home building approvals than in the previous twelve months – a 15 per cent reduction. Since Premier Rockliff lost control of the Parliament, approvals have slumped to historic lows.

Not to mention it’s now more than four years since the last windfarm came online in Tasmania.

It’s been close to 10 years since the Liberals promised to make planning fairer, faster, cheaper and simpler with a singular statewide scheme. Instead, nothing has happened, except the system becoming more complicated, inefficient, and out of touch with the needs of Tasmanians.

Premier Rockliff’s minority government has failed to deliver for Tasmanians looking to access affordable rentals or get a foot in the door of home ownership, and the Liberals have failed to support safe, secure, well-paying jobs in the building and construction industry.   

Instead of trying to get around their own broken planning scheme, and failing, with band-aid solutions like their failed DAPs legislation, we need to get to the core of the problem and actually fix Tasmania’s planning scheme in 2025.

Tasmania is crying out for more housing supply, and we need to get moving on major projects for the sake of the economy and the thousands of safe, secure, well-paid jobs they will create.

The only thing this Liberal minority government is good at building is its track record of failing to deliver.

Josh Willie MP
Shadow Treasurer