What we’ve witnessed in the Tasmanian Parliament this week is deeply disappointing — not only in tone and conduct, but in its complete failure to address the very real, urgent challenges our state faces. The no-confidence motion brought forward in Parliament has highlighted a government out of touch with the community and content to drive wedges of division through our State. But far more alarming than political theatre is what’s being ignored: the truth about our precarious financial position, and the absence of a credible plan to fix it.

Less than four months ago, the Revised Estimates Report laid out stark warnings. Net debt is now projected to climb to $10.8 billion by 2028–29, with annual interest payments nearing $770 million — levels that would cripple service delivery and future investment. Yet neither the 2025–26

Budget nor the rhetoric of the major parties shows any serious intent to deal with this.

That’s not just careless. It’s dangerous.

As Parliament has turned into a battleground over the Macquarie Point stadium, and the rising level of debt, broader economic responsibility has been swept aside. The stadium, now estimated at $945 million, is more than a sports facility. It has become a symbol of division and single-mindedness. It has become a project encapsulating poor governance, opaque decision-making, and fiscal recklessness. And it was being pushed through with a legislative approach that should concern every Tasmanian. If only the government could have such a singular focus on fixing our budget – it is highly unlikely we would be where we are today.

The government tabled the Macquarie Point Planning Permit Bill 2025, before public submissions had even closed proposing to hand sweeping powers to a single Minister and the Secretary of State Growth — a public servant not directly accountable to Parliament. Under this bill, project permits could be issued, amended, and enforced without any oversight, with Parliament only having a very limited role after decisions have taken effect. This is not the hallmark of a healthy democracy. It is the fast-tracking of decisions behind closed doors, removing independent scrutiny and shutting down community input.

Tasmanians should be asking why. Why the urgency? Why would the government table a bill with no detailed operating model for the stadium? No clarity on long-term maintenance costs? No strategic plan for managing congestion in and around the site? These aren’t secondary details. They are the basics of responsible infrastructure planning.

And this is all happening while the state’s finances teeter on the edge. At the last election, the Premier promised a hard cap of $375 million in state contributions for the stadium. That promise has been abandoned. Voters were entitled to trust that commitment — not to comb through budget documents searching for technical caveats or footnotes. Selective disclosure and retrospective justification are no substitute for honesty.

The Treasurer claims we are on a “path to recovery.” Yet this claim has been widely debunked by independent commentators and is not supported by any credible Treasury modelling. When interest payments alone will soon surpass the infrastructure budget, it is absurd to suggest things are under control. The budget is not sustainable — it is being propped up by proposed asset sales, borrowing, and hope.

Since 2021, two early elections have resulted in $2.8 billion in new spending commitments — much of it uncosted and made without long-term funding strategies. This is not just political expedience; it is economic recklessness. The longer we pretend otherwise, the deeper the structural deficit becomes. Now, less than 18 months after the most recent election we could be back at the polls.

If an election is called, full transparency must follow immediately. Under the section 5 of the Charter of Budget Responsibility Act 2007, Treasury is required publish a Pre-Election Financial Outlook (PEFO) — an independent report detailing the real state of the Budget. Despite the 2024 PEFO only providing an update on risks, in light of the financial stakes and ongoing misinformation, it is critical that this report is prepared as soon as possible to inform voters of the truth regardless of the recent budget which did not pass Parliament. This is critical as the government is in possession of the MarinusLink Whole-of-State Business Case which must be released in the interests of transparency and full disclosure to electors.

Treasury is in a unique position with access to all data to reveal the real cost of the stadium, the escalating needs of the health system, the pressure on TT-Line and Bass Strait services, the totality of unfunded infrastructure promises and provide a credible assessment of the true state of the Tasmanian Budget. Tasmanians deserve a full, independent picture before casting their votes. All parties seeking election must then respond to the PEFO with a clear, detailed strategy as to how they will manage the very real challenges facing the State. This will require real leadership and courage and a long-term plan.

This is critical. It’s about responsible government, transparent leadership, and the integrity of democratic institutions. Parliament must never become a rubber stamp for executive overreach, especially when public money is at stake.

Tasmania is at a crossroads — economically, politically, and institutionally. This is not the time for blind optimism. It is the time for honesty, transparency, and responsible leadership.

In this moment of political instability, truth and transparency are more important than ever. If we are to repair our finances and restore public trust, it starts with full disclosure — and it starts now.

The Mercury, Monday 9 June 2025