- Labor’s first Dorothy Dixer after winter break all about post-election speculation
- Greens’ first questions about hypothetical post election scenarios
- Liberals focus on the Midland Highway, road safety, the budget and water and sewerage reforms and urge our opponents to focus on the issues that matter, and the leadership and vision for the future that Tasmania so sorely needs
The Labor Party and the Greens should focus on the issues that matter to Tasmanians, not hypothetical post-election scenarios.
One of the reasons Tasmania is heading in the wrong direction after 11 years of Labor is because it has been too focussed on short-term political problems than the long term interests of our State.
In Question Time today, both David Bartlett and Nick McKim were more interested in speculating on the March election outcome rather than any other issues of importance. I call on them both to focus on issues that matter to ordinary Tasmanians, and on delivering the leadership and vision that this State needs.
That’s why in Question Time today, I’ve urged the Premier to agree to my request for a bi-partisan case to be made to the Prime Minister for federal funding for a long-term vision for the Midland Highway. I also tried to get some clarity from the Premier over whether he would ever support a four-lane divided highway, which is what Tasmanians deserve and what a Hodgman Liberal Government will deliver. Regrettably, Premier Bartlett provided answers to neither.
I sought answers as to how the government would fund the water and sewerage concessions it backflipped on yesterday and highlighted the comprehensive bungling of these reforms by Treasurer Aird.
The Tasmanian Liberals have also focussed on our leadership and vision in road safety, the need for the Premier to be transparent over the Scott Gadd contract scandal, and sought assurances that Tasmania’s GST share will be protected.
The insular navel-gazing being conducted by Nick McKim and David Bartlett – because of the tangled web that the Premier weaved for himself flip-flopping on this issue – won’t help a single Tasmanian.
The election is seven months away. We have spelled out our position.
The failure of David Bartlett and Nick McKim to focus on the issues that matter to Tasmanians during the first Question Time after the long winter break, show just how out of touch with ordinary Tasmanians they have become in the pursuit of power.
