Media Release

Peter Gutwein MP
Shadow Treasurer

Thursday 11th March 2010

Bartlett fails on jobs – unemployment now highest in the nation

The number of unemployed people in Tasmania has jumped from 9400 in September 2008 to 16,100 in February 2010.

So on David Bartlett’s watch as Premier, Tasmania has lost nearly 7,000 jobs.

This exposes the hollowness of Mr Bartlett’s promise to create 15,000 jobs if re-elected.

The unemployment rate, seasonally adjusted, was 3.8 percent in September 2008.

Is now 6.4 percent – nearly double, and has gone up 1.1 percent in the last month alone.

This means Tasmania’s unemployment rate is now 1.1 percent above the national rate of 5.3 percent, and the highest in the nation.

The Liberals have a plan to create jobs for all Tasmanians, and to address our skills shortages in some sectors.

By abolishing land tax, we will encourage business investment in Tasmania, creating new jobs.

And by bringing up 1,000 Tasmanians home to fill areas of skills shortage, we can drive our economy forward and create employment opportunities for more Tasmanians.

Only a majority Hodgman Liberal Government has a plan to drive our economy forward and deliver the real change we need.