In a stunning revelation out of the Premier’s estimates hearing, Jeremy Rockliff admitted that the Public Trustee will be privatised.

Under questioning from Labor, Jeremy Rockliff admitted his minority government's budget disaster has gotten so bad that he is going to sell off the Public Trustee to keep the lights on.

Placing the Public Trustee into private hands will risk history repeating itself.

Past scandals have included:

• An elderly man in hospital having his lease terminated and his home cleared without his knowledge
• A woman being prevented from using her own money to buy Christmas presents for her family
• A young man awarded $5000 compensation after being injured as a three-year-old, and having the funds invested with the Public Trustee, was paid out just $5,200 fifteen years later after being charged “exorbitant” fees and charges

A review into the Public Trustee in 2021 also found that it misunderstood its core purpose – to act in the best interests of clients.

How will privatising the Public Trustee ensure that it acts in the best interests of vulnerable Tasmanians, rather than private shareholders?

After earlier admitting his government will be axing 1,000 jobs from the public service, this latest revelation shows just how damaging the Liberals' budget disaster will be for Tasmania.

Dean Winter MP
Tasmanian Labor Leader