Abetz’s confused tourism tax collapses in Legislative Council

The Liberal Government’s unfair tourism tax on regional Tasmanian small business has officially died in the Legislative Council, falling apart because it was a confused, unworkable tax from day one.

Treasurer Eric Abetz brought a deeply flawed tourism tax to Parliament without doing a single shred of economic modelling. Instead of delivering a clear and coherent strategy to fix Tasmania’s housing crisis, the Liberals cooked up legislation so riddled with contradictions that even the Upper House couldn't save it.

This policy was a complete mess. The Government tried to claim the tourism tax wouldn't hurt everyday Tasmanians or local operators, yet the legislation was so confused it left the entire sector baffled.

When a Treasurer brings a tourism tax bill to Parliament with no economic modelling, no clear operational logic, and no idea how it impacts the broader economy, this is the result.

Labor opposed this ill-conceived tourism tax from the start because you cannot tax your way out of a housing supply shortage. The Legislative Council has rightly rejected this half-baked bill.

It is time for Eric Abetz and the Liberals to stop creating unnecessary red tape, stop confusing Tasmanian businesses and focus on what actually fixes housing: building more homes.