Delivering our long-term Plan for a Brighter Future First year report and second year Plan March 2015 1 Delivering our long-term Plan for a Brighter Future Headed in the right direction Returning to Government after 16 years has been a privilege and an honour, but also a The Hodgman Liberal Government is getting on with the job great responsibility. We inherited a State with significant challenges - an economy that had flat-lined, investment and confidence at record lows and unemployment at a decade-high. of delivering our long-term Plan for a Brighter Future Our immediate priority was to stimulate the economy, restore confidence and create jobs by delivering on our long-term Plan for a Brighter Future. Since the election, nearly 7,000 jobs have been created, and the gap between the Our vision is a Tasmania: Our goals national and State unemployment rate has reduced by more than two thirds. Gross State • That is more self-reliant and open for business, where everyone has the opportunity to Product is increasing again, construction and building activity is soaring, retail trade had enjoy our enviable lifestyle, get a job and raise a family; its strongest year and business confidence is the highest in the nation. The new Government has set itself a range of Our Plan is working, and while it’s early days and there is a lot to be done, there are very • Where we grow the economy and generate wealth so that we can create jobs and ambitious targets and goals, including: encouraging signs for the future. afford better essential services like health, education and public safety, and; • Jobs - to reduce the unemployment rate Tasmania is now headed in the right direction. There is a renewed sense of confidence • With a responsible Government that lives within its means, has the right priorities and to at least the national average; and optimism about our future. can be trusted. • Tourists - to attract 1.5 million visitors to There is no doubt that stable majority Government and a strong, united team prepared Tasmania each year by 2020, creating up to make decisions has helped to provide hope, and restore confidence and certainty for Our long-term Plan for a Brighter Future will: to an extra 8,000 jobs; business. • Provide a strong and stable majority Government to get things done, giving hope and • Population – to grow the Tasmanian However, our job is not just to fix the economy and Budget, but to build something confidence for the future; population to 650,000 by 2050; better; to seize every opportunity and to capitalise on the unprecedented global interest • Deliver new jobs and economic growth. This is our number one priority; • Agriculture – to grow the value of the in our island State, and to aggressively pursue economic growth, investment and job agriculture sector to $10 billion by 2050; creation. • Fix the Budget mess. Tasmania cannot continue to live off the credit card. Fixing It’s critically important we continue to build on the momentum we have gained from our • Aquaculture and fisheries – to double the Labor’s $1.1 billion Budget mess allows us to invest more in essential services into the first year in office. annual value of our salmon industry to future, and; We understand there are no easy fixes and change won’t happen overnight, but we will $1 billion by 2030; • Rebuild essential services, to make our communities safer and so Tasmanians can get continue to work hard to clean up the mess we inherited, and deliver a Brighter Future for the quality education and health care they deserve; • Health – to have the healthiest Tasmania. population in Australia by 2025; With a strong, disciplined majority Government, and by sticking to our long-term Plan, we • Education – at the end of the first six know that we can deliver even better outcomes for Tasmanians over the next year and Honouring our Promises years, to be at or above the national into the future. standard in every single NAPLAN There is a lot to be optimistic about in 2015, and I am very hopeful about the year • We are delivering on the commitments we made prior to the 2014 State election. measurement and meet national ahead. • This includes; $94 million for job creation and economic growth initiatives across Tasmania, benchmarks in reading, writing, maths On behalf of my team, we commit to working hard for Tasmanians to keep the State $64 million for education, $92 million for health, $35 million for police and $27 million for and science, and; heading in the right direction. community services and support to vulnerable Tasmanians. • Budget – to return the Budget to surplus within six years. • The election commitments were fully-funded by $500 million in savings measures announced well before the election. See our plan for the next 365 Will Hodgman MP days on Pages 18-21 Premier 3 Strong, stable, majority Government “It’s early days, and there is a lot to be done, but there are very encouraging signs for the future.” delivering hope and confidence - Premier Will Hodgman First year snapshot • 6,800 new jobs since the election. “We said we would deliver stable majority Government • Unemployment rate down 0.8 per cent. Create jobs to get things done, and that’s exactly what we’re • The gap between the Tasmanian and national unemployment rates is delivering, with a strong, united team prepared to make at its narrowest point since October 2011, at just 0.3 percentage points. decisions.” Restore Business confidence • Business confidence is the highest in the nation. • Reduced Labor’s $1.1 billion accumulated deficits by $450 million. Rein in Budget spending • Reduced projected net debt by around $350 million. Confidence returns Tasmanian and national unemployment 6,800 new jobs created rates is at its narrowest point since Since the 2014 election, confidence has October 2011, at just 0.3 percentage Since the election in March 2014, nearly • Record spending of $1.465 billion on health. returned and with it, business activity and 7,000 new jobs have been created. Improve the health system points. • Provided $76 million for additional elective surgery. private investment, increased consumer • Confidence in the property and Tasmania now has the highest number spending and an upswing in jobs and construction sector has increased by 17 of jobs since December 2008, and higher • Record $1.4 billion investment in education and training. economic growth. points - to be the third highest in the than any point under the previous Create a Job-Ready • Business confidence in Tasmania is now Labor-Green Government. Tasmania’s • Extended six high schools to years 11 and 12. country. Generation the highest in the nation. • Comsec says: our population growth is at unemployment rate compared with the • Employed 25 specialist literacy and numeracy teachers. • Private investment is increasing. its strongest in two and a half years and national average is now the narrowest • Tasmania’s participation rate shows a there are “brighter signs in Tasmania.” margin since October 2011. • Repealed the job destroying forest deal. Rebuild the forest industry strengthening in the jobs market with • Deloitte says: Tasmania’s “recovery looks Highest level of employment • Passed legislation to protect workers’ rights to earn a living. levels not seen since 2010. to have legs.” since Dec-08. Higher than at any point under Labor and • Building and construction is soaring. 6,800 new jobs the Greens. • Appointed an interim Regulation Reduction Coordinator. Building approvals in the nine months 244 Cut Red and Green Tape • Passed first tranche of legislation to create one statewide planning since the election were 31 per cent 242 scheme. higher than the nine months prior. The 240 value of construction work was up 15 per 238 Rebuild the police force • An additional 26 police on the beat since the election. cent in September 2014, compared to 236 the previous year. 234 Jobs (‘000) • Tourism up six per cent to 1.06 million visitors annually. • Retail trade had its strongest year. 232 Consumers are confident and are 230 Labor-Green Liberal • Commenced National Parks Expressions Of Interest process. spending. Annual retail growth is now 228 Boost tourism CommSec State of the States, January 2015 • Chinese President visited Tasmania, with an estimated 600 million the second highest in the nation. • Tasmanian employment conditions Jan-11 Jan-12 Jan-13 Jan-14 people watching the 10-minute television news item. have improved. The gap between the Labor-Green Liberal 4 5 Delivering our long-term Plan for “Our immediate priority on coming to Government was to stimulate the economy, jobs and economic growth restore confidence and create jobs.” Investment and jobs Getting behind and underway backing Tasmanian P Qantas – secured 246+ jobs business P Myer redevelopment - $100 million investment and 500+ jobs As promised, the Hodgman Liberal P RHH redevelopment - $657m, 4,000 Government is backing Tasmanian business. jobs, $1.6 billion in economic activity We have: P Mac1 hotel - $35 million investment, • Moved to restore international 100 construction jobs, 80 ongoing shipping from Tasmania to Asian export jobs markets, to reduce double-handling and P Parliament Square - $100 million costs for producers. An Memorandum economic activity, 400 jobs P Bald Hill mine – 180 jobs (45 direct of Understanding has been signed with Government’s job package, and a Small Business Jobs initiatives – the Whitelion Employment Singapore-based Swire as preferred Bonus to create jobs; Preparation and Placement Program, and 135 indirect) P Bunnings - $162 million investment in operator, backed by up to $33 million in • Partnered with industry and business to support 200 young people enter the creation plan working the State, with 655 new jobs over a investment by the Government; workforce or return to study; and the to create jobs, including a pilot project two-year period.