Great education gives young Tasmanians access to well paid, safe, and secure jobs.

We welcome the Jacqui Lambie Network joining Labor to oppose the Liberal-Green policy to freeze the University’s assets.

Labor has been clear about why we oppose the Bill – we support better education facilities and more housing.

Less clear, is why on earth are the Greens and the Liberals teaming up to block the University’s plans to build a world-class, $500 million science and technology centre?

Under Jeremy Rockliff’s leadership, a record number of young people are leaving Tasmania for the mainland. This is one of the most serious economic challenges our state faces, and the Premier’s attacks on the state’s only university will push even more of our young people away to the mainland.

As a state, we should be providing the opportunities that make our students want to stay in Tasmania, and those from interstate and abroad want to move here.

We have a beautiful example of the benefits of modern educational facilities – our world-leading Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies.

The University plans to take our science and technology facilities from some of the oldest in the country, to among the best. Why do the Greens and the Liberals want to rob Tasmanians of the opportunity to study at world-class facilities and train for the jobs of the future?

Sarah Lovell MLC
Shadow Minister for Education & Early Years