Less than two months after saying he would take over the Infrastructure Portfolio and fix the Spirits, Premier Rockliff has changed his mind and handballed that crucial responsibility to new MLC Kerry Vincent.
It shows the Premier has checked out and isn’t interested in having responsibility for serious issues.
You should be feeling déjà vu because it’s exactly like when he ditched the Health Portfolio after saying it was so important to him that he would retain it as Premier, or when he dropped Economic Development after saying his focus would be solely on growing the economy.
The new Spirits project is the most crucial infrastructure project for our economy in decades, and Liberal mismanagement and incompetence has seen it spiral into the biggest infrastructure stuff up in Tasmania’s history.
The project needs strong leadership and guidance to get it back on course. Tasmania can’t afford any more setbacks or cost-blowouts, the new Ships are five years delayed, half a billion over budget, and they’ve got nowhere to berth.
New Minister Vincent has a mammoth task ahead of him. After the checked-out Premier decided that he wasn’t up for the job, Minister Vincent needs to be up for the job because the stakes are so high.
Anita Dow MP
Deputy Labor Leader
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure
