Ms BURNET – Premier, the infrastructure spend, the budget has been underspent nine out of the ten past years and significantly, we were talking about $502 million in 2021 and $368 million in 2023.
Mr ROCKLIFF – That’s the underspend you speak of?
Ms BURNET – Yes, that’s the underspend. I want to know, you say that you are going to deliver these projects and yet they are not delivered. Can you just talk us through that, please?
Mr ROCKLIFF – Yes, and I did refer to it before because we have significant investment moving forward, but as I say, getting the funding out the door and the money out the door and from allocation of budget to start completion of projects is important. We have done, in my humble opinion, really well in terms of the amount of funds we have been getting out the door in comparison to previous years et cetera and will always work hard to ensure that we get to as close as the budget as possible in terms of what we are committed to and what we get actually invested in. Anything further on that Ms McIntyre?
Ms McINTYRE – I think the other point too is that we are talking about investment in infrastructure that is being planned, developed and constructed over multiple years and so cash flows are adjusted as projects are developed and delivered. Cash flows are also adjusted a couple of times through the budget cycle in an annual year.
Ms BURNET – In relation to Ms Dow’s question about the berth. I understand that the Treasurer is still the shareholder minister for TT‑Line. He has stepped aside from the infrastructure portfolio. Shouldn’t he be stripped of his shareholder ministry position?
Mr ROCKLIFF – No, the Treasurer is doing a very good job of being Treasurer. We have a difficult budget in challenging times. We spoke this morning about this in terms of Michael’s role as Treasurer and Infrastructure minister. In Michael’s time as Infrastructure minister, we saw great progress on the Bridgewater bridge as an example of that, but the Treasurer is the shareholder minister when it comes to GBE’s. We have a lot of confidence in the Treasurer to do a very good job, and he is, particularly putting together a budget in quite difficult times that has the infrastructure spend moving forward – but also, that sensible pathway to surplus. It is not a slash and burn budget, but a budget that keeps the momentum going in the economy, keeps employing Tasmanians – a very measured and responsible way forward when it comes to managing our debt and a sensible pathway to surplus.
Ms BURNET – I think we would have to disagree on that position.
