Gavin Pearce (Braddon, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Health, Aged Care and Indigenous Health Services) Share this | Hansard source

Last week, Devonport was awarded Tasmania's Top Tourism Award Town for 2024. This award celebrates the best of the best of any Tasmanian world-class visitor experience. Home of the Spirit of Tasmania, Devonport is the gateway to our magnificent region and all that is to offer. But Devonport is a destination in itself. It's a city worth investing in, and that's exactly what the former government recognised—and we did it well. From our $10 million investment in the waterfront precinct, to investments in our tourism icons such as the Don River Railway, the Bass Strait Maritime Centre, the Julie Burgess, Home Hill, the Paranaple centre and many more. We invested in tree-planting, beautification projects in nature parks, walking trails and the protection of the swift parrot. We invested in upgrading local roads and safety programs, and the spectacular sound and light show which is about to be launched. We invested in more than 77 individual projects in Devonport alone.

That investment is now drying up because the Albanese government has not shared our passion for our region. I look forward to the next election and the return of the Liberal-National coalition and reinstating the passion to make our regions the best that they can be.

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