Ross Hart (Bass, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to take this opportunity to champion my vision for Northern Tasmania. I've spoken often in this place about the potential that exists in my electorate of Bass. It is true that we face challenges—in particular, those of generational disadvantage and the related pressures that this places on our community, including social isolation and related poor health and education outcomes. In some areas of Bass the rate of poverty is as high as 20 per cent, with over a third of households dependent on income support payments as their main source of income. We have high rates of unemployment, underemployment and insecure work. According to the most recent ABS statistics, there are 6.4 unemployed Tasmanians competing for each vacant job.

This government and the Hodgman state Liberal government have presided over what's become an economic standstill in Northern Tasmania. However, I remain optimistic about the opportunities we have for the future in Bass. I have a vision for Northern Tasmania as a region that has a focus on high-end industry and advanced manufacturing, supported by our tourism industry and greater educational opportunities. We are already making waves in the advanced manufacturing space, with the Australian Maritime College and local companies, like Definium Technologies and Van Diemen Luxury Craft, continuing to grow, creating local jobs and opening up Tasmania to national and international markets in areas where innovation and quality drive market growth. From this renewed focus on industry and advanced manufacturing I see a clear pathway to training and education, specifically for this type of work and training being undertaken locally.

The relocation of the University of Tasmania's northern campus will make Launceston a central education hub, providing opportunities for the ongoing upskilling of the local workforce, including school leavers and those already in employment seeking better employment opportunities. This investment in Northern Tasmania will strengthen the liveability of the region and will have multiple positive flow-on effects, particularly for tourism, which already directly and indirectly contributes about $2.5 billion a year to Tasmania's gross state product, which is the highest economic contributor for any state in Australia.

I'm the first to admit that there is work to be done to meet the challenges facing Northern Tasmania—challenges that have only been exacerbated by the ineffectiveness in Tasmania of the state government and the federal government. However, I remain confident in my vision for Northern Tasmania and in Labor's vision for Bass. We are already seeing glimpses of this positive future. I look forward to seeing the region flourish as we further capitalise on the potential that exists in Northern Tasmania.

It's particularly important for me to mention the role of renewable energy in Northern Tasmania. We have advanced manufacturing in the form of Haywards engineering that provides wind towers. That sort of job is the future of Tasmania. (Time expired)