Michael Ferguson,Minister for Finance
Lazy Labor has once again resorted to talking Tasmania down to distract from their lack of an alternate policy and from the ongoing war raging inside their own party.
Tasmania’s population has grown since the Liberals won office, with young people no longer forced to leave the State in search of work, and many Tasmanians returning home.
Overall, Tasmania’s population grew in 2020-21, yet Shane Broad deliberately ignores this fact to pursue his own false storytelling.
While some areas saw small decreases as people move, our regional areas saw larger growth, growing by 1,100 people, and reflecting a trend seen across the nation. These cherry-picked changes are marginal in an otherwise booming population, due to the strong economy here which has attracted and retained residents.
There is no doubt that the pandemic and border closures impacted on population growth across Australia. With Tasmania continuing to transition to live with COVID-19 and looking to the future with optimism, I expect these gains will continue as more people choose to come here and see what we have to offer.
Additionally, Dean Winter’s bizarre and manufactured claim that Tasmania is entering a ‘shadow lockdown’ simply doesn’t stack up according to today’s ABS Retail figures for February.
The data shows that retail trade hit $661.1 million in February – the third-highest monthly figure on record, and is now 14.5 per cent higher than before the pandemic.
It seems Mr Winter is now siding with the Greens and doesn’t want our borders open and for our economy to be strong – a massive slap in the face to local businesses.
The Government will not be distracted from delivering on our plan to grow our economy and jobs, and ensure Tasmania remains the best place in the country to live, work, and raise a family as we secure our future.
Instead of promoting Tasmanian business, our economic recovery and the historic low unemployment rate of 3.9 per cent, Dr Broad and Mr Winter have instead chosen to talk Tasmania down in an attempt to divert scrutiny from their own institutionalised dysfunction and the fallout within the Labor party from Rebecca White’s mishandling and manipulation of the Ben McGregor matter.
