Dr WOODRUFF question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
At the last state election, the government you led was smashed into minority by the people of Tasmania. Yesterday, in your state of the state address, you confirmed a fire sale of Tasmania’s public assets to fill the enormous budget black hole your government created, no doubt to help fund a billion dollar stadium that you did not mention once. For this you have no mandate: there has been no conversation with Tasmanians who own our GBEs to sell off what generations of people have built up and funded. Your 2030 strong plan makes no mention of cutting the public sector or privatising assets and services.
Is it arrogance or pressure from hard right colleagues that makes you think you have a mandate to sell off TasNetworks, MAIB, the Public Trustee or Metro? A year after you were elected in minority, what makes you think you have any sort of mandate for this huge privatisation agenda?
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I reject the premise of the question first and foremost. We have made a very clear decision not to sell Hydro, the sacred cow, for very good reasons. Why would we not very sensibly have a look at our GBEs to ensure that they are delivering the services that benefit Tasmania? Why would we not do that?
This is about delivering better services for the Tasmanian people, but also should asset sales proceed, we will invest in a future fund. That is a sensible, forward‑looking plan for Tasmania’s future, where we can ensure that we have a sustainable budget moving forward to invest in those key areas that Tasmanians care about: teachers in our schools, health workers, nurses in our hospitals, and police on the streets to ensure community safety. That is what sustainable budgets are about, and that is what growing an economy is about.
That is why the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and business leaders welcomed the forward‑looking plan yesterday. It was not a taxing Labor plan. It was a sensible pathway to surplus where we can balance and manage the budget to ensure that we can invest in those key areas of service delivery.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER – Order, no member of the opposition asked this question. The Leader of the Greens has the right to hear the answer.
Mr ROCKLIFF – The Labor way and the Labor-Greens way is to cut services and raise taxes.
Dr WOODRUFF – Point of order, Speaker, Standing Order 45, relevance.
The SPEAKER – I am absolutely hearing the point of order, yes.
Dr WOODRUFF – The Premier has not gone anywhere near the question, which is what mandate do you have to make these vicious cuts and to privatise our assets? It is not in your plan. It was not talked about at the election.
The SPEAKER – The Leader of the Greens cannot argue the point. I agree that the Premier can now turn his mind to addressing the question that was asked. Otherwise, there will be a supplementary and he will have to do it then, anyway.
Mr ROCKLIFF – It is important to remind Tasmanians that when you lot raided the superannuation provision account –
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER – The Premier will address his remarks through the Chair.
Mr ROCKLIFF – It is now costing Tasmanians $400 million a year.
Dr Woodruff – You are selling their buses.
The SPEAKER – The leader will stop interrupting.
Mr ROCKLIFF – That is your economic management that trashed the budget.
Members interjecting
The SPEAKER – Order, minister Ellis, minister Abetz, and members on my left.
Dr Broad – Do you believe that is how it works?
Mr ROCKLIFF – I know how you work. That is higher taxes. Your opportunity is to outline your plan today.
The SPEAKER – The Premier’s time for answering the question has expired.
Before I call on what I imagine will be the supplementary, I remind members that this kind of behaviour is not going to be accepted. I have a number of tools, one of which is actually to walk out of here and you can sit and wait until I feel like coming back. If we want to get through Question Time, these are very serious issues that you are asking about today, the people deserve to be able to have their answers heard in silence.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
The SPEAKER – I will call the Leader of the Greens on a supplementary question request.
Dr WOODRUFF – It was the question that I asked, which was for the Premier to address a mandate. He made no mention of private sector cuts or privatisation in the 2030 Strong Plan. My question is, you do not have a mandate from the Tasmanian people – are you getting your mandate from Eric Abetz?
The SPEAKER – I will call the Premier to the question as it was the original question asked and according to my notes, was not addressed in the answer.
Mr ROCKLIFF – I will take your lead, honourable Speaker.
The SPEAKER – You will direct all of your responses to this issue through the Chair, Premier.
Mr ROCKLIFF – I will take your lead, honourable Speaker. You have highlighted this is a very serious issue, and the issues that we are talking about. I take Tasmania’s future seriously. Any silly comments – like you have just said at the end of your so‑called question – are beneath this parliament. We have the responsibility to govern now and for the future. That lot did not have the guts to form government. We knew of all the challenges globally and so we chose to step up. What I outlined yesterday was a very sensible pathway –
The SPEAKER – The Premier’s time for answering the supplementary question has expired.
Mr Willie – You went to an early election and delivered this path.
The SPEAKER – Mr Willie will find himself warned if I have my attention drawn to him again.
