The Rockliff minority government looks to be preparing for a fire-sale of state owned assets to prop up its busted budget, with the disposal of iconic buildings like Hobart’s Treasury on the cards in return for a financial sugar hit.

The symbolism of a government considering selling their Treasury building to prop up their busted budget is a plot line straight out of a satirical comedy.

After the monumental stuff-up of the Spirits, this fire-sale shows just how bad the Liberals are going.

Under the Liberals, Tasmania has been plunged into record debt and deficit, and all a fire-sale of our assets will provide is a short-term sugar hit.

Peter Gutwein said the Treasury building shouldn’t be sold in 2020. Why have they changed their minds? The only logical answer is the rapidly deteriorating budget.

Selling off valuable government assets potentially has longer-term implications for the budget. If they achieve a fair value sale, any proceeds will be expended on capital costs and other relocation costs, with millions in ongoing leasing costs to house staff in the future still to pay.

The Rockliff Liberal government is lurching from financial crisis to crisis. It’s clear Tasmanians can’t trust them with the purse-strings anymore.

Josh Willie MP
Shadow Treasurer