Premier lists range of job-creating North-West projects

Posted: 2nd Feb

The state government is backing job-creating projects across the North-West, Premier Peter Gutwein says.

Commenting after Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showed the region was the only one in Tasmania where jobs were decreasing, Mr Gutwein said jobs were the government's top priority and 20,000 had been created statewide since the Liberals took office in 2014.

"In the North-West and West Coast, the unemployment rate is nearly three percentage points lower and the unemployment rate is lower in all nine North-West local government areas," he said.

He said the government knew more needed to be done, which was why it was supporting projects and businesses including:

  • Tasmania's renewable energy advantage in the North-West, including the Battery of the Nation, Project Marinus and wind farm developments which would create 2350 jobs in Tasmania and inject $7.1 billion into the Tasmanian economy over the coming years;
  • Burnie port developments to increase port capacity;
  • Roads of Strategic Importance in the North-West;
  • the resources industry;
  • two new Spirits of Tasmania to secure Devonport and the North-West as the gateway to Tasmania;
  • the Cradle Mountain Visitor Experience development ($65 million);
  • the UTAS campus move; and
  • Devonport's Living City redevelopment.

"Metro Tasmania is also purchasing 100 new Tasmanian-made buses for the Metro bus fleet for $45 million," Mr Gutwein said.

"This vital project is on time, on budget, creating jobs in North-West Tasmania and boosting our advanced manufacturing sector."

He also mentioned an extra $3.15 million with the commonwealth "to fund nine initiatives for 600 North-West Tasmanians in the growth sectors of agriculture, mining, manufacturing, building and construction" and "investing in new school infrastructure, including at Devonport High, a new K-12 Penguin School, Spreyton School and Sheffield School Farm ($3 million)".

"The North-West will also receive a massive boost, with around $1 billion of tourism infrastructure investment in the pipeline under a 10-year tourism vision for the region."

Source: The Advocate - https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/6607684/gutwein-lists-range-of-job-creating-north-west-projects/