Tasmanian Budget 2008-2009

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Treasurer Michael Aird yesterday delivered Tasmania’s budget, marking the first time Tasmania’s budget has topped $4 billion.

The centrepiece of the budget was an investment of $1.5 billion over four years in an infrastructure plan for hospitals, health services, schools, roads and rails.

Highlights of the budget include:

Business and Taxes

$65 million in additional tax cuts;
$38.4 million to provide motor tax cuts on light vehicles;
Abolition of non-real commercial property transfer duty from 1 July 2008;
$10 million for the Workforce Participation Program.

Health and human services

$80 million in 2008-09 to implement health and human services reforms, including:

$26.3 million for implementation of disability service reforms;
$20.1 million for the Clinical Services Plan.

$99.3 million to improve local healthcare services, including:

$29.5 million in additional funding to support reform and expansion of family support services;
$31 million for upgrades to Bruny Island, Flinders Island, King Island, Glenorchy, Kingston and Longford/Westbury Health Care Centres.

$42.6 million for better patient care and health outcomes, including:

$18.6 million for improving health information technology for better patient care;
$5 million in additional funding for ambulance and patient transport services.

$99 million for improved housing services, including:

$60 million to improve public housing and increase supply;
$39 million for funding for housing iniatives, community housing programs and crisis accommodation.

Social Inclusion

$174 million to promote social inclusion, including:

$11.2 million for the implementation of a Social Inclusion Strategy;
$14 million for extending government concessions to Health Care Card holders;

$37.7 million towards keeping communities safe, including:

$18.9 million for the redevelopment of the Devonport, Glenorchy and Bellerive Police Stations;
$13.3 million for improving communications support for community services through the Government Radio Network;
$2.8 million to employ full-time coordinators at Neighbourhood Houses.

Education and literacy

$66.7 million for school children, including:

$34.8 million for the Raising the Bar and Closing the Gap initiative to improve literacy and numeracy;
$16.8 million to improve support and resources for Tasmanian Government School children with high and additional needs;
$12.9 million for grants to non-government schools to provide services to their school communities.

$135.5 million to invest in schools, including:

$30 million in capital funding to redevelop education infrastructure in the Bridgewater and Southern Midlands community;
$61.5 million in capital investment projects across the State to redevelop schools and libraries;
$30 million for a new high school at Kingston.

$18.5 million to increase skills, including:

$7.2 million to provide 2,000 new training places through the Skilling Tasmania initiative;
$11.3 million for funding four new regional Learning and Information Network Centres across regional Tasmania to integrate community learning, libraries and technology access with other government services.

Infrastructure

$1.5 billion over four years, including:

$492.8 million for health and human services;
$303.9 million for community infrastructure;
$626.8 million for roads;
$99.6 million for other transport infrastructure.

Transport

$76.6 million to improve Tasmania’s rail infrastructure;
$23 million State Government contribution to the Brighton transport hub;
$250,000 to investigate the potential of light rail;
$626.8 million for roads, including $42.5 million for north-east freight roads, $35.7 million for the Brighton bypass, $30 million for the Kingston bypass and $23 million for the north-west tourist road.

Environment and Climate Change

$92.6 million is allocated towards protecting Tasmania’s environment in 2008-09, including:

$45 million for irrigation to drought-proof Tasmania;
$5.7 million for climate change community projects;
$10 million for the Environment Protection Authority;
$12 million to save the Tasmanian Devil;
$3.1 million for environmentally-friendly traffic lights;
$15.4 million for water and sewerage reform.

Urban Renewal and Heritage

$21.4 million is allocated in 2008-09 for urban renewal and heritage, including:

$12 million to establish the Urban Renewal and Heritage Fund;
$4 million to develop recreation and bike track networks;
$3 million for north-west cities and towns.

Police and Criminal Justice

$28.4 million to redevelop Risdon Prison;
$18.9 million to redevelop three police stations.