Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens' Northern Tasmania spokesperson
The Tasmanian Greens’ Alternative Budget allocates far more funding into the State's North and North West than either the Liberals' Budget or Labor have in their flimsy Economic Directions' Statement.
Our Alternative Budget is very much focused on building capacity in Tasmania’s regions, including:
· $60 million in funding for Launceston’s Sewerage and Stormwater modernisation;
· $9.82 million for a Palliative Care Unit in the North
· $20.66 million for Regional Allied Health Professionals
· $210,000 for Active Launceston
· $50.3 million for 11 new Child and Family Centres, many of which would be based in the North and NW
· An annual $50 million Regional Reinvestment Fund
· A $71.72 million Youth Employment Strategy which focuses on regional rollouts
There are many, many more statewide investments that will benefit all Tasmanians, including our $220 million in additional acute and preventative health investments, $183.04 million to secure housing affordability and supply, and $25.36 million for genuine cost of living relief.
Unlike the Liberals, our investment is the south in significantly lower than our investment in regions. This recognises that Tasmania's is a two-speed economy.
Our budget is one that very much focuses on regional Tasmania, far more than either the Liberals or Labor.
The cuts that Ms Courtney mentions to Tourism Tasmania were, unfortunately, an error that was not removed from the text. As she clearly only skimmed our Alternative Budget, she did not look at the bottom line which contains no cuts to Tourism Tasmania.
It was considered in earlier iterations but was removed when we decided against it on the basis Tourism Tasmania should be appropriately resourced to promote the State to a growing visitor market.
The document has been updated to correct this error.
We stand by our Alternative Budget, and suggest people read our papers and form their own views, rather than listening to the scaremongering of a government backbencher desperate to retain her seat.