Jim Bacon had a vision for Tasmania. True, it only revolved around football, forestry and ferries, but we were all clear on where he stood.
I’m not sure whether Lara Giddings has a vision. If she does, I suspect it’s something like: “There are monsters outside. We’d best close the curtains.”
For weeks, we’ve endured media speculation about what the state budget, Giddings’ first attempt at rescuing the state from a slide into economic irrelevancy, would contain.
So here’s the brief picture: more footy, but fewer schools. More speed cameras, but fewer police.
I’ve little interest in the budget minutae — our mainstream media well be explaining for days who gets what, when and where. I’m more concerned with the macro picture, and it isn’t a pretty one.
Lara’s monsters outside the door are real. Most national economic indicators are well-summarised by Treasury in the budget documents.
That data paints a picture of a state with little employment growth, consumer spending paralysed by uncertainty, rising interest rates and a business environment still adjusting to a post-industrial world.
Left unchecked, those factors inevitably lead a sluggish economy, with little to inspire business investment. Perfect conditions for a recession.
*Read the rest of this article at Tasmanian Times
it is the 4 fs, from these wastrels
footy
ferries
foxes
& forestry
no wonder the tas economy is f’d from 10 yrs of these lab greens being in charge of the tassie cheque book, with most of the sycophantic tassie lib representatives also chearing from the sides
“That data paints a picture of a state with little employment growth, consumer spending paralysed by uncertainty, rising interest rates and a business environment still adjusting to a post-industrial world.”
Could have been written in 1892, 1992 or whenever. Apart from a brief burst of property-boom phony prosperity in recent years. Mainland -driven.
Tasmania is still controlled by extractive primitives.
Their greatest skill is destroying the assets they have- which are solely environmental.
All those useless dams…and now the moronic Greens (a) demanding wind turbines (b) getting an infestation (c) then demanding a moratorium on turbines because they are slaughtering the endangered Tas. Wedge-tailed eagle.
As if raptor death from turbines was not endlessly documented worldwide…
We need a revolution.
Forestry is not part of the problem, and it could be part of the solution. For decades it was one of the most successful industries in Tasmania (probably the most successful). Now, it is being hounded out of existence for no good reason, and not only do people not see the link with a failing economy, they somehow blame too much forestry for the downturn. What the?
My prediction? As long as Tasmania continues to turn its back on the industry most uniquely suited to its skills and natural endowments, the economy will struggle.