The 2025-26 State Budget was tabled in Parliament today.
The Tasmanian Government claimed it continues a “strong record” of providing for those in need while continuing a pathway to surplus. Objectively, however, said pathway remains unclear.
The Labor Opposition labelled it the “worst Budget ever” with total debt heading towards $11B.
The Greens said the proposed ‘Efficiency and Productivity Unit’ would simply be a razor gang making cuts to public services.
Other crossbenchers were also unimpressed. Andrew Jenner (JLN, Lyons) accused the Government of “spending money it doesn’t have and failing to prioritise the money that it does.”
Northern independent Miriam Beswick (Braddon) and Rebekah Pentland (Bass) said the Budget papers Tasmania is in the midst of a fiscal crisis.
“The next generation of Tasmanians will be left to pay the price,” said Beswick.
Pentland observed that: “until we get the basics right, a majority of Tasmanians will continue to question whether we can afford a brand-new stadium at Macquarie Point.”
Kristie Johnston (independent, Clark) was disappointed that the Government is not seeking additional revenue from mining and resource royalties and fairer taxes “instead of cutting frontline jobs, essential services and a fire sale of our GBEs and Crown land.”
The Youth Network of Tasmania said the Budget “fails to deliver the bold, future-focused investment urgently needed in youth housing and homelessness.”
Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the level of debt and deficit outlined by the Government in the budget isn’t sustainable. “There is a massive looming budget blackhole and we can’t let the state’s finances get sucked into it,” said CEO Michael Bailey.
Shelter Tas welcomed the Government’s continued support for social housing but noted that actual delivery of the ‘10,000 homes by 2032’ plan is not meeting either targets or community need.
The Small Business Council said that a proposed Small Business Start-up Permit is good news for intending entrepreneurs.
The Australian Medical Association perceived there is not enough money in the budget to meet increasing demand.
“Rather than set a realistic budget for next year, the budget papers show the government believes a less than 1 per cent increase (0.9%) in the total health budget for 2025/26 and 0.2% increase for hospital services will be sufficient…this will mean either another budget blowout or cuts to vital health services,” said Dr Michael Lumsden-Steel, AMA Tasmania President.
Tasmanian Council of Social Services adjudged the Budget as falling short on the Government’s promise to ‘deliver on the things that matter to Tasmanians.’
“We’re concerned the Government has lost sight of the real issues that matter most to Tasmanians, with billions of dollars spent on hard infrastructure and significant financial capital consumed by cost blowouts and planning mistakes that could have been avoided,” said TasCOSS CEO Adrienne Picone.
“A new stadium won’t help Tasmanians living on low incomes feed their family and get their foot into the housing market.”
Read their full statements below.