ABC Mornings – Wisdom of the Years
You can listen to my latest interview with Ryk Goddard here: […]
Author: Ruth Forrest
Posts by Ruth Forrest
Moody’s Downgrades Tasmania’s Credit Rating to Aa3
Moody’s Ratings has downgraded Tasmania’s credit rating from Aa2 to Aa3, citing a sharp and sustained increase in the state’s debt and interest burdens that has weakened Tasmania’s financial strength. The reasons given for this, not surprising downgrade when considered in light of the state budget before us, included a number of real issues.Tasmania’s net […]
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Tasmania’s Housing Crisis: When the Numbers Don’t Add Up
The Tasmanian Government proudly declares it’s on track to deliver 10,000 new affordable homes by 2032. Strip away the glossy headlines and what remains is a hollow boast built on creative accounting. The numbers simply don’t add up. When examining Homes Tasmania’s performance as reported in the 2024/25 Annual Report, isn’t just disappointing performance against […]
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Registration to Work with Vulnerable People Amendment Bill 2025
Legislative Council, Wednesday 12 November 2025 Ms FORREST (Murchison) – Mr President, I rise to speak in support of the Registration to Work with Vulnerable People Amendment Bill 2025. I understand the urgency and the nature of it and the briefings this morning to go through it in more rigorous detail. This is not merely […]
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MOTION – Noting Budget Papers 2025-26 and Appropriation Bills (No. 1 and No. 2)
Legislative Council, Wednesday 12 November 2025 Ms FORREST (Murchison) – Mr President, when the Treasurer, Mr Eric Abetz, rose to deliver the 2025 26 state Budget on 6 November, his opening line promised brightness and optimism. He said Tasmania’s future continues to be bright, setting a tone of confidence and realistic optimism about the state’s […]
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ABC Hobart Drive – Public Accounts Committee Interim Report
You can listen to my interview on ABC Hobart’s Drive program here: […]
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Tasmania’s Budget: Smoke, Mirrors, and a $20 Billion Debt Mountain
When Treasurer Eric Abetz delivered Tasmania’s 2025-26 State Budget promising “brightness and optimism,” both Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s have not changed Tasmania’s outlook from Negative. When both credit rating agencies put you on negative watch simultaneously that’s a financial fire alarm. The Treasurer wants you focused on General Government debt reaching $10.4 billion, characterising […]
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SPECIAL INTEREST MATTERS – Come from Away
Legislative Council, 11 November 2025 Today in Special Interest Matters I spoke about the Burnie Musical Society’s production of Come from Away. You can view the speech here: […]
Tasmania’s Budget Crisis: Behind the Accounting Illusions
The 2025-26 State Budget promises a bright future while delivering accounting tricks, unrealistic assumptions, and a debt trajectory heading toward $20 billion.
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Operational vs Capital expenditure – a Treasurer’s fiscal and moral assessment
In a media interview this week, the Treasurer attempted to defend the government’s simultaneous pursuit of a $1+ billion stadium while cutting nearly 3,000 public sector positions. His defence rests on a distinction between operational and capital expenditure, and a moral argument about intergenerational equity. These are serious economic principles that deserve serious consideration. But […]
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QWN – Motorcycle licensing
Legislative Council, Wednesday 5 November 2025 Ms FORREST question to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT, Mr VINCENT Aknowledging that motorcycle crashes are at record levels across Australia, the Motorcycle Riders Association of Australia (MRAA) has been lobbying to make entry‑level rider training and testing more accessible and affordable. Noting that it is vital that all motorcycle […]
QWN – Bass Highway Upgrade Funding
Legilative Council, Wednesday 5 November 2025 Ms FORREST question to MINISTER for INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT, Mr VINCENT With regard to the Bass Highway Wynyard to Marrawah upgrade, on 28 May 2025 you provided the following response to a question regarding these roadworks, stating the then current construction project sites were: You also stated that the detailed design sites […]