The Preliminary Outcomes Report showing a budget deficit of $1.5 billion is further proof that the Liberal-Lambie Coalition have completely lost control of the budget.

The budget deficit is now nearly five times worse than the record deficit at the height of COVID. With a budget deficit closer to two billion than one, and record net debt of $3.5 billion, there really is no way for Treasurer Ferguson and the Liberals to spin what a disaster this budget is.

The impacts of this Liberal-Lambie budget disaster on Tasmania will be felt for years to come. Treasurer Ferguson has already started slashing public services, directly impacting services Tasmanians rely on.

Tasmanians will be rightly wondering why they have nothing to show for the Liberals’ budget mismanagement. The economy is flatlining, public services are at breaking point, and planeloads of working age Tasmanians leaving the state for better opportunities elsewhere.

Our health system is falling apart, education outcomes are lagging the nation, we are in the middle of a housing crisis and crucial infrastructure projects like the Spirits are significantly delayed and outrageously over budget.

The Liberals have put us in this terrible position through a decade of economic mismanagement and incompetency.

The way to work our way out of this mess is by growing our economy, and we need to get more Tasmanians into safe, secure, well-paid jobs. If we raised our participation rate to the national average, Tasmania’s economy would be boosted by over $3.7 billion annually.

We need to start delivering on crucial projects that are going to benefit the state - every year the new Spirits are delayed will cost our economy $350 million, which doesn’t include the wasteful cost blowouts that would be avoided with competent leadership.

Labor’s number one priority is getting our economy back on track. Tasmania just can’t afford the Liberal-Lambie Coalition and the terrible position they are putting us in.

Josh Willie MP
Shadow Treasurer