A Hodgman Liberal Government will provide the real change Flinders Island needs with up to $6.4 million to fix shipping, improve port facilities, further develop renewable energy options and importantly, assist the island to further develop and market the Flinders Island brand.

Labor has failed the Flinders Island community over almost 12 years in government. Most recently, the debacle surrounding the Flinders Island shipping service highlights Labor’s ineptitude and lack of interest in the people of Flinders Island.

The people of Flinders Island deserve real change – real change that only a majority Liberal Government can deliver.

First and foremost, we will deliver real change to Flinders Island’s shipping service by empowering the Flinders Island community to take control of the Island’s vital shipping service.

Rather than the state government subsidising a shipping service as has been done unsuccessfully in the past, we will provide $750,000 over three years to the Flinders Island Council to empower the island to be in control of its sea transport links. In conjunction with the Council, we will establish a board to manage shipping services to the Island, to ensure the shipping debacle that occurred in the last two years doesn’t happen again.

We will also ensure that as part of Infrastructure Tasmania’s state-wide infrastructure plan, that a 10 year ports plan will be developed for Flinders Island. Once the plan has been finalized, Tasports will be tasked to develop a schedule of priority works, expected to be up to $5 million.

Furthermore we will provide $180,000 over three years to assist the island to further develop its tourism industry, strengthen the Flinders brand and its penetration into key markets.

We will also:

• Provide $100,000 to develop a Whitemark Master Plan;
• $150,000 to enable the council and community to further develop renewable power generation and investigate and develop a community ownership model for the Island;
• $220,000 to towards maintenance on the Whitemark Link Road in 2010-11, and we will consider a formal transfer of the road to the State Government once due diligence has been undertaken;
• Funding of $30,000 over three years for the transition program to assist young islanders undertake further education or employment on mainland Tasmania.

Residents of Flinders Island will also benefit from the real change brought about by the Liberal’s policy to secure the ongoing future of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the introduction of “flying clinics.”

Only a majority Hodgman Liberal Government can provide the people of Flinders Island with the real change they need.