In Parliament, I spoke in support of the Treasurer and the Government during the debate on Tasmania’s Budget and fiscal sustainability. I argued that you cannot demand budget repair while opposing the measures needed to achieve it. I also highlighted the importance of responsible financial management while continuing to invest in essential services like health.
Watch and read the full speech below.
Mr FERGUSON (Bass) – Deputy Speaker, I’m pleased to be able to rise to support the Treasurer and the government on this matter of public importance. I thought we wanted budget sustainability. That’s what I remember very vividly out of the last probably two debates around the budget presented by previously the Treasurer in the interim Budget last November and also the previous treasurer, Mr Barnett, at this time last year.
It was this day one year ago when we got the no-confidence motion moved by the Leader of the Opposition when he chased the car and accidentally caught it and found that he actually had a majority of members of this House who supported that motion. I don’t believe for one moment that he actually wanted to proceed with that motion, but following his great mentor, Mr Lennon’s advice, I believe, he led us all into that merry dance. I remember very vividly that the then Leader of the Opposition very deliberately targeted the then treasurer, Guy Barnett, and Jeremy Rockliff as Premier in that no-confidence motion. The point had to be made to the opposition at that time by none other than David O’Byrne, the honourable member for Franklin, that the budget is not a Treasurer’s budget, it’s not a Premier’s budget, it’s Cabinet’s budget. You’re doing it again today. You’re now trying to make it personal about the person, the Treasurer, Eric Abetz. It’s like you’re trying to pepper every question through the day and through the MPI and you’ve tried to divide ministers from one another.
For example, you’ve asked questions earlier today of minister Archer as if she has a different point of view from another minister with whom she shares a Cabinet decision. That is how it works. It does rather give it away that not one member on the other side of this Chamber has been a minister and you don’t know and don’t act like you would know about how those things work. You had to have Mr O’Byrne teach you, and you’re doing it again here and now.
Last year you made it very clear that the budget needed to be repaired. You made it abundantly clear. Your own alternative budget that you published at the election had a $1 billion in cuts and the year before that in the March 2024 election, you had $2 billion of infrastructure and operational cuts, but of course now that we have a government, a treasurer, and a Cabinet presenting a budget before our House that reins in operational expenditure growth – Health still continues to grow in funding but the growth trajectory has been addressed you’re seeing budget repair and you’re opposing it wherever you can.
We’ve been told time and again by eminent people like Saul Eslake, and he’s not alone; we’ve had Treasury’s fiscal sustainability report. You raise that in a merry hurry, but now when you see some of these measures being introduced, you’re taking every opportunity to oppose them and you’re targeting one person, the Treasurer. That’s what you’re doing and it’s very obvious.
Yesterday it was alternative budget day and we didn’t get an alternative budget. We’ll get one today instead because the Greens always do their homework. It might be a very alternative budget., I’ll grant you, but it will nonetheless be a commitment by the Greens with their policies, not just the ones they oppose but the ones they propose, and they’ll be committed to an operational statement. They will show –
Mr Winter – Maybe when you’re up there with Angus you can help him with one.
Mr FERGUSON – I’m not sure why you would dare interject. You’ve had a shocking week and your leader had a shocking day yesterday. He ran with a lot of extra time up his sleeve and took his seat. He got nil applause, didn’t front the media, and not one of the Labor Party members have put any of their material up on their social media to share with the community. You’re embarrassed and well you may be. Labor’s policy was so poor. It was clearly written by the Waterside Workers Federation and the various unions there and he could not even front the media. No doubt we will get an alternative budget today and that would have been a reasonable thing for the opposition to do.
I also want to remind members opposite that the Labor legacy on finances is not flash. We had $1.5 billion in the Superannuation Provision Account and they spent it and when we came to office in 2014, a Treasury analysis showed a billion dollars in cumulative deficits over the forward Estimates.
Today in the Tasmanian Parliament, I spoke about the outstanding success of the Australian Musical Theatre Festival in Launceston and the extraordinary community effort behind it.
From a packed Albert Hall concert to workshops, youth productions, cabaret performances and choir events across the city, the festival brought joy, energy and economic activity to Northern Tasmania.
In my speech, I acknowledged:
• Artistic Director Tyran Parke and the festival board • volunteers, sponsors, technical crews and community supporters • outstanding Tasmanian performers including Rob Mallett and Lisa Crosato • the role of arts and community events in lifting civic spirit • the proud history of the Albert Hall as a gathering place for Launceston • what northern Tasmania can achieve when people back themselves and work together
Events like this remind us that with community spirit, volunteers, donors, performers and believers, Tasmania can do great things.
Mr FERGUSON (Bass) – Honourable Speaker, I rise tonight to acknowledge the outstanding success of the Australian Musical Theatre Festival held in my city of Launceston this week and last weekend. My wife, Julie, and I attended the main concert at the Albert Hall with family and I would estimate perhaps another thousand of our community. The Albert Hall was packed and people loved it from the first number through to the finale. Unfortunately, there was no encore. There was real joy in the Albert Hall, which I love to see as our community gathers together.
I want to especially congratulate Artistic Director Tyran Parke, the board, performers, technical crew, the sponsors, the volunteers, and every person involved, including the volunteers who were there helping patrons find their seats and welcoming guests through the doors. Events like this only happen because a lot of people, in our northern community in particular, but around the state, quietly put in a huge amount of work behind the scenes, and of course attracting necessary support. There was plenty of that, including from the Tasmanian Liberal government, the City of Launceston, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, business sponsors, personal donors, arts organisations, schools and colleges, and community members who back the vision and helped to make it happen.
We heard remarkable talent from around the country, but tonight I especially want to acknowledge Tasmanian performers, including Rob Mallett and Lisa Crosato, who were individually and with their other duets, absolutely outstanding.
Of course, the festival was much bigger than just one concert across five days. There were performances, workshops, choir events, cabaret performances, youth events and productions right across Launceston. It created a real buzz in our city and it brought people into our restaurants, cafes, bars and hotels.
But as much as I enjoyed the music itself, I want to say something else about this event, because as I was preparing for this address, I have recognised something quite special. First of all, the Albert Hall itself was packed; it was absolutely packed and I realised that this must be one of those great community events in the history of that building going back many years that people will remember into the future for many years. I add to that, of course, the great day where John Howard, prime minister, addressed the forestry workers in the 2004 election. But I digress.
More than 130 years ago, the Albert Hall was built for the Tasmanian Industrial Exhibition of 1891, an event specifically designed to help lift community spirit during difficult economic times following the Depression of the 1880s. It still stands proudly in Launceston to this day. Last weekend, the Albert Hall was doing exactly that yet again. What made it so impressive was this: yes, there was government support, but the event was really driven by non government, by the northern community, by a statewide community, by believers and by givers. I’m talking about volunteers, local sponsors and donors, performers and, dare I say it, a community that dreamed a dream.
This reminds me, I want to bring to the House what Launceston and northern Tasmania can do when people back themselves with an enterprising spirit and focus on a shared goal that will lift the community. I want to, as a Liberal member for Bass, congratulate everyone involved and look forward to seeing the festival continuing to grow in the years ahead.
Tonight in the Tasmanian Parliament, I paid tribute to the life of the late Neale Daniher AO. A great Australian sporting figure, founder of FightMND, and the 2025 Australian of the Year.
Neale Daniher inspired millions through his courage, humour, humility and perseverance in the face of Motor Neurone Disease. Through FightMND, he helped unite Australians in support of research, treatment and hope for a cure.
Let’s reflect on his extraordinary legacy, including the impact of the FightMND movement in Tasmania and the admiration so many Australians held for him.
Vale Neale Daniher AO.
I also just want to take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation and great respect for the life of the late Neale Daniher AO, who, as we know, passed away at yesterday.
Not only a great sporting champion for our country and his code, but also unifying our nation as the great founder and champion for FightMND, culminating not only in an extraordinary national outpouring of support and fundraising for research and treatment and searching for that cure but culminating in his nation loving him and recognising him as our Australian of the Year for 2025.
I know that many members of this House so happily joined him at the joint FightMND Clifford Craig event last year.
He was a man with wonderful humour, humility, generosity and, as we know, perseverance and inspiration and I for one am so grateful for his life.
Budget backs Northern Tasmania with major health, road and school investments
Treasurer Eric Abetz has delivered a responsible first full Budget at an important time for Tasmania. There is broad recognition that this is a period where governments must focus on careful budget repair following the enormous impacts of COVID, global trade and tariff disruptions, and the very significant costs associated with the Commission of Inquiry. Tasmanians expect governments to spend carefully, but they also expect us to keep investing in the roads, hospitals and schools our communities rely on. (more…)
The Tasmanian Government is delivering a strong economy and caring community.
The 2026-27 Budget makes the savings needed whilst continuing to deliver the essential services and build the infrastructure Northern Tasmania must have now, and for the future.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said this Budget recognises our nation, and the world, are facing turbulent times.
“It gives us the headroom we need to deal with the challenges ahead,” the Premier said.
“We are getting the balance right, ensuring our economy continues to be strong, resilient and well positioned for the future.
“We are delivering healthcare, education, roads, infrastructure and services for Northern Tasmania.”
Health and Mental Health
$254m for Launceston General Hospital redevelopment, including Stage 1 and Stage 2 works, the Mental Health Precinct and the Northern Health Complex;
$110.2m to deliver the new Launceston General Hospital Northern Heart Centre;
Launceston hospice;
Hospital in the Home Program northern expansion;
Better Health for Dorset community prevention program;
Kings Meadows Community Centre; and
Health and Medical Research Centre in Launceston.
Education
Upgrades to South George Town Primary School, Mowbray Heights Primary School, Glen Dhu Primary School, Port Dalrymple School, Ringarooma Primary School;
New supersized Child and Family Learning Centres in Scottsdale and Longford;
Healthy School Lunch Program at Beaconsfield Primary, Bridport Primary, Invermay Primary, Legana Primary, Port Dalrymple, Ravenswood Primary, Waverley Primary, Winnaleah District High School; and
Upgrading school playgrounds and sports courts at Beaconsfield Primary, Exeter Primary, Glen Dhu Primary, Invermay Primary, Lilydale District School, Newstead College, Norwood Primary, Port Dalrymple School, Prospect High, Ravenswood Heights Primary, Riverside High School, Scottsdale High School, St Leonards Primary, Summerdale Primary, Waverley Primary, West Launceston Primary, Winnaleah District High School and Youngtown Primary School.
Infrastructure
$145m for improvements to the Bass Highway from Devonport to Launceston;
$120m for the Tasman Highway Sideling upgrades to improve safety and efficiency;
East and West Tamar Highway upgrades;
$10m for a new purpose-built Launceston Convention Centre;
$7.5m for Launceston Park and Ride facilities; and
$2m for the Launceston and Tamar Valley Traffic Vision to address congestion.
Flinders Island
$1.2m to support Cape Barren Island with operational costs;
Healthy School Lunch Program at Cape Barren Island Primary, Flinders Island District High; and
New sports court at Flinders Island District High School.
“This Budget delivers a strong economy and caring community, delivering the services and building the infrastructure Northern Tasmania must have now, and for the future.”
Today in the Tasmanian Parliament, I spoke in support of reforms relating to historical sexual offences, protections for vulnerable victims, and high risk offender laws aimed at improving community safety. The Justice and Related Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill also strengthens legal clarity across a range of Tasmanian laws and helps ensure courts have workable powers to manage dangerous offenders. (more…)
