2024-25 Budget Reply Speech
LAND USE PLANNING AND APPROVALS (STONY RISE DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL) BILL 2024
Governance issues erode public trust
Legislative Council, Wednesday 12 March 2025
Ms FORREST - Mr President, the reaction to the Premier's state of the state was entirely predictable. Everyone zeroed in on the possible sale of government businesses. A detailed examination of what has caused the catastrophic decline in the state's finances was conveniently sidestepped.
Admitting there is a problem is the first stage to any recovery. Neither the Premier nor the Treasurer have done that yet. Neither did the Leader in her contribution either, but it is her last one so maybe I am not expecting her to have the answers.
The Premier still says our debt is manageable. His state of the state speech told us Labor left a debt legacy, but now under the Liberals that burden debt burden was lifted. That is utter nonsense and delusional. Even if it were true, why would you propose to sell assets if debt is manageable and the debt burden has been lifted. Why would you?
Admitting there’s a problem is the first stage in any recovery.
The Premier hasn’t done that yet.
He still says our debt is manageable. His State of the State speech told us “Labor left a debt legacy” but now “under the Liberals that debt burden was lifted”. That’s utter nonsense.
Labor left a large unfunded superannuation liability. Perhaps not a debt in the strictest sense, but a liability that required servicing just like a loan. For all intents and purposes, it was a loan.
Labor chose to spend each year borrowing from the future rather than borrowing at the time to make contributions.
But the Liberals have done the same. They haven’t set aside anything for defined benefit employees not even Super Guarantee amounts. Over $1 billion have been spent on other budget outlays rather than paying superannuation.
Just when you think things can’t get worse, they do. Treasurer Barnett released the 2024-25 Revised Estimates Report setting out the State government current position.
The release was accompanied by an assurance that “Tasmania’s net debt is manageable “. There is not a skerrick of evidence to suggest this is true. All three targets covering debt management are flashing red warning signs.
The Treasurer reiterated his determination to “maintain a steel like resolve to deliver a budget surplus by 2029-30”. Maybe he should apply some of the steel like resolve to understand what a surplus means. Spending needs to be less than receipts, not just spending on current operations, but total spending including capital outlays and paying past liabilities. Otherwise, debt keeps rising and becomes unmanageable. Ipso facto.
The news that a feasibility study has found the prospect of a second crossing over the Cam River to not be practical is disappointing to say the least, and appears to have missed the point.
You can read more of my comments regarding the study in The Advocate at the link below:
Few have taken any issue with the prognosis laid out by Saul Eslake in his landmark report into the State’s finances.
Even fewer have modified their policy positions to reflect the harsh reality of our predicament.
The major parties have tacitly agreed not to discuss the increasing amounts that will be spent servicing debts and paying past liabilities that will mean amounts devoted to current services, in real terms, will continue to decline, with no respite in sight.
Stony Rise development saga is emblematic of broader problems, writes Ruth Forrest
The saga surrounding the proposed Stony Rise shopping centre development at Devonport is emblematic of broader governance failures in Tasmania. This issue, while centred on a specific project, exposes a troubling pattern of political expediency, the erosion of public trust, and a disregard for robust planning processes.
The Land Use Planning and Approvals (Stony Rise Development Approval) Bill 2024 overrides established planning processes that have been approved by the parliament including the important role of the Tasmanian Planning Commission, which refused the initial permit.