Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader
We are proud to deliver the Tasmanian Greens’ 2021-22 Alternative Budget. It accepts the positives in the State Budget, defunds the negatives, and reallocates funding towards more inclusive, sustainable programs.
The Greens’ Alternative Budget sets out the State’s sustainable recovery from COVID-19, takes meaningful climate action, and creates a fairer, healthier and more inclusive community.
It delivers a Green New Deal for lutruwita/Tasmania.
We invest in a Safe Climate for this island’s children and young people.. Our plan includes rapid emissions reduction, sustained adaptation planning, protection of our precious water supplies, and electrification of the State’s transport system.
In a climate emergency, Tasmania’s gift to the world is the carbon stored in our forests. Scientists and young people are clear there has to be an end to native forest logging.
Our Alternative Budget ends this high-emissions, habitat-destroying practice. It provides funding and a path for transition out of native forest logging, into making the most of our plantation estate, and it funds large scale restoration and reforestation.
To support this landscape-scale restoration and carbon farming endeavour, the Greens’ Alternative Budget establishes a youth Job Guarantee that will provide jobs, 21st century skills and a living wage to Tasmanians under 19 years of age.
We also invest in the delivery of new skills through a well-funded TasTAFE, and fund free TasTAFE courses.
Some of the key initiatives include:
- Land returns, Treaty and dedicated Aboriginal seats in Parliament
- Well-funded TasTAFE and free courses for Tasmanian students
- Build 4,000 public houses and 2,000 rent to buy affordable homes
- Development of a State Climate Adaptation Plan, Renewable Energy Location Mapping, and On-Farm Renewables Transmission Discounts
- Establishment of Community Resilience Hubs around Tasmania, and recruitment of 30 rapid response, remote area firefighters to protect Tasmania’s parks and reserves
- Substantial staffing increases in the health system, Ambulance Tasmania, and community health, along with new hospital infrastructure builds
- Establishment of the Tasmanian Employment Office to develop and roll out a Job Guarantee program Establish a Just Transition Unit to facilitate retraining and redeployment of displaced workers from unsustainable, high-emissions industries.
- End native forest logging, and invest in landscape restoration
As the global economy moves towards a zero carbon future, industries are having to adapt. Our Just Transition unit will establish new areas of opportunity to better protect Nature and build on the ‘clean, green’ Brand that underpins our economic strengths.
The economic sunshine isn’t reaching the tens of thousands of Tasmanians living in poverty and experiencing health and housing stress.
The Greens’ Alternative Budget invests heavily in the extra staffing and infrastructure in health, education, and community wellbeing that is so desperately needed.
Our Alternative Budget is fiscally responsibility. We pay for our promises by making big corporations such as mining, logging, fish farming and gambling who for decades have been paying the lowest royalty and licensing fees in the country.
It is well past time big corporations paid their fair share.
We recognise the pressing need to do things differently and prioritise a sustainable and climate safe future for all Tasmanians.
The Greens’ Alternative Budget shows what you can do when you put people and this beautiful place first.
Read the full Alternative Budget here: https://tasmps.greens.org.au/policy/alternative-budget-2021-22