Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Chairman of the Scrutiny of Government Waste Committee) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tonight I stand to pay a tribute to the people of north-east Tasmania and to call for real change in Tasmania’s north-east after a decade of neglect under state Labor. I want to say at the start it is not just state Labor; in recent years it has in fact been federal Labor. The most recent example of neglect has been the lack of development and the loss of jobs as a result of government inaction on renewable energy and government inaction on the Musselroe Bay wind farm. This is a $400 million development which will be a huge boost in north-east Tasmania—in fact a huge boost for Tasmania. The government inaction at the federal level is a great disappointment. On Wednesday, 24 February I moved a motion in the Senate which condemned the federal Labor government for its failure to support major renewable energy projects which is threatening the Musselroe Bay wind farm. The motion was passed on the voices, but it was opposed by the government, including Tasmania’s Labor senators. But the Senate on that day sent a clear message that the government had failed to deliver when it comes to major renewable energy projects and must do more to support projects like the Musselroe Bay wind farm.

Labor’s policies have caused the price of renewable energy certificates to fall dramatically, which has stalled investment in wind farms around Australia, but in terms of the north-east there has been significant neglect. The federal Labor member for Bass, Jodie Campbell, said in February that Labor will not do anything to address this problem until at least April, when the Council of Australian Governments next meets. But action is needed now. The company has already invested $20 million and many jobs had started but have now been canned—lost as a result of government inaction. It is appalling, and they should hang their heads in shame. The people of the north-east have had enough. They want jobs, growth and development, and they are not getting them under federal or state Labor.

In terms of advocacy in the north-east, I commend Bruce Scott, president of the local RSL club, for his strong support for bringing the Victoria Cross medals tour to Tasmania so that the people of the north-east can have access to such an important and historic event. I want to acknowledge the strong support for this tour coming to Tasmania from the Hon. Michael Hodgman QC MP, whom I spoke to yesterday and today. I note that he is a life member of the RSL and was an Anzac of the Year in 2000. He strongly supports the campaign to bring the VC tour to Tasmania. The North-Eastern Advertiser has promoted the importance of that tour and on its front page just last week it referred to Lieutenant Alfred Gaby, a VC recipient from the north-east. I commend them and say thank you. The campaign to ensure that the tour is brought to Tasmania was launched just yesterday with the RSL and me in Launceston, with the launch of a petition and other activities.

The people of the north-east deserve better in relation to Dr Paul McGinity. They have been neglected by state Labor big time. This doctor has more than 3,000 patients. They and their families have now been without that doctor, at least to some extent, for nearly a year. The anniversary is coming up of when he was unilaterally denied an opportunity to work. His work was terminated via a fax that he received from the Medical Council of Tasmania, and the state Labor government has had a hands-off approach. I want to pay tribute to Yasmine Rawnsley and her committee, the Paul McGinity Support Committee, in the north-east for what they have done to support not only Dr Paul McGinity, Anne, his wife, and his family and the people who work in his practice but the people of the north-east. They have had to stand up and fight state Labor over their neglect and lack of action.

I know Steve Titmus, the federal Liberal candidate for Bass, has met with Dr Paul McGinity—in fact, we were both in Launceston at a celebratory function just a month or so ago together with other members of parliament, including the Hon. Sue Napier MP. In that regard I want to put on record my sincere thanks and congratulations to the Hon. Peter Gutwein, the shadow treasurer, who stands up for the people of the north-east—and I will come to his announcement yesterday with Will Hodgman for the north-east. The Hon. Sue Napier has represented the region since 1992 and I gave a tribute to her just a few weeks ago in the Senate as she will be retiring from state parliament on 20 March as a result of ill health. We wish Sue Napier all the best into the future.

I would also like to commend Michael Ferguson, who has been fighting for years. He was the federal member for Bass from 2004 to 2007 and did a great job of advocacy and fighting for the people of the north-east. They want people to stand up for them in the north-east of Tasmania. That is not happening now under the federal member for Bass and certainly as a result of the lack of action by state Labor. I want to commend Michele McGinity, who is the daughter of Dr Paul McGinity but is outstanding in her own right. She has credibility. She has pizzazz. She wants to stand up for aged-care workers. She is concerned about health and education and she is making a real difference in the community. And I commend Nick Pedley and Pam Dakin, who also are state Liberal candidates.

There are people like Bert Farquhar who are recognised by the people of the north-east. I was at his funeral just last week; it was a thanksgiving service. He was one of Tasmania’s great agricultural pioneers and, for a time, one of the biggest potato farmers in the nation. He started a tree plantation program in the late 1940s. Agricultural development in the north-east benefited greatly as a result of his resourcefulness and determination. He made things happen when most people said they were not possible. The tributes to Bert given at his thanksgiving service were fantastic, all confirming he had vision and a can-do attitude, he enriched our community and he was kind and creative.

I want to put on record the fantastic commitment that was given by the state Liberals under Will Hodgman yesterday. Their press release, entitled, ‘Real change for the north-east’, said:

A Hodgman Majority Liberal Government will ensure that nearly $50 million is invested over the next four years in the North-East.

That is a great commitment. That is a commitment that state Labor have not given over the last weeks, months or years. They have neglected north-east Tasmania. They also said:

We commit to ensuring that the $42.5 million in road funding for North-East freight roads that was announced three years ago is expedited and spent on priority projects such as the Bridport Main Road as a matter of urgency.

These announcements that were made yesterday about north-east Tasmania will support jobs, growth and development. It is fantastic news for the north-east, because they have been missing out—and for too long. The projects announced yesterday by Will Hodgman and Peter Gutwein for the state Liberals, including Michael Ferguson, Michele McGinity, Nick Pedley and Pam Dakin, with the support of Sue Napier MP, include $4 million to continue the Lilydale Road upgrade and $1 million to begin works on the unsealed section of the Tomahawk to Gladstone road. In addition:

• The proposed Bridport Western Road Access Project will be referred to Infrastructure Tasmania for consideration as a part of its development of a strategic infrastructure plan.
• $150,000 will be committed to upgrade the Bridport Recreation Ground …

That is a great facility and it needs upgrading, and I hope it is successful. It continues:

• $120,000 will be provided over three years to enable the Scottsdale Ex-Services and Community Club to undertake urgently needed repairs and maintenance and commence capital projects.

That is a great initiative for the north-east.

• $60,000 is committed over three years to assist the continued development of the North East Rivers festival and especially the centrepiece of this festival the iconic Derby River Derby—

a great initiative, a great event, and money well spent. Well done to all the organisers for getting behind such a festival.

• $75,000 will be provided over three years to enable the Dorset Men’s Shed to continue the appointment of a part-time co-ordinator …

Well done to Bruce Scott and the team at the Dorset Community Men’s Shed for what they do. I have been there and they provide a fantastic service to the local community.

• $100,000 for a feasibility study to be conducted by the Department of Economic Development on the benefits to the North-East community of attracting an international golf event at the Barnbougle Dunes golf course at Bridport.

Of course, that was supported by the Howard Liberal government some years ago. It is a great facility and I know members and senators alike are aware of it. There is also $90,000 support for the Bridport Bowling Club, $150,000 to strengthen aged-care services in the north-east, $70,000 to assist the Scottsdale Football Club and $75,000 to enable the Dorset Council to develop restrooms and comfort stop facilities in Derby.

Real change is possible on 20 March, later this month. It is time for real change for Tasmania’s north-east, and that is what a Hodgman Liberal government would deliver. I thank the Senate.