Tasmania putting battlers at risk
Today’s delivery of a ‘cautious’ state budget was a missed opportunity to make adequate long term investment in public housing and mental health. It risked leaving low-income Tasmanians behind, according to Anglicare.

Anglicare CEO, Dr Chris Jones welcomed a number of budget initiatives including strategies to address the cost of living, literacy rates and elder abuse, as well as to improve outcomes for disadvantaged students. The funding for community transport initiatives was also particularly welcome, as transport costs are a huge problem for people on low incomes.

“But while the economy is stable at present, there are predictions that we may be coming into a difficult time,” said Dr Jones. “Large manufacturing plants are continuing to close and our real unemployment rate has been hidden by low labour force participation rates and a shift to part-time employment - often involuntary,” he said.

Dr Jones said as fiscal stimulus funding ended, low-income Tasmanians could be left increasingly vulnerable to unemployment and poor health and educational outcomes.

Anglicare had urged the Tasmanian Government to invest in public housing and public transport.

“Today’s announcements around community transport and money to improve Metro’s passenger services are welcome.  In terms of housing, there are houses being built but these are mainly for low to middle income earners rather than people experiencing the worst housing stress,” said Dr Jones. “Also, much of this spending comes from Commonwealth funds rather than investment by the State,” he said. “We desperately need to increase the supply of public housing,” he said.

Anglicare had also called for further spending on mental health initiatives, including a social marketing strategy to address stigma and discrimination.