13 December 2024

After a near two-year campaign by Tasmanian Liberal representatives, the Federal Government have finally agreed to exempt the $240 million federal contribution for the Macquarie Point stadium from our GST calculations.

The Prime Minister has consistently rejected this idea on visits to Tasmania, previously stating that he was “not quite sure why it’s such an issue” for Tasmania to get an exemption that would directly take away $240 million from our state’s finances that we need to pay for hospital beds, police officers and schools. This is while the Federal Treasurer agreed to exempt projects and stadiums in his own city of Brisbane, but not Hobart.

Liberal Senator for Tasmania, Jonno Duniam, has long been critical of the Federal Government’s dismissal of Tasmania. Senator Duniam has asked the Federal Labor Government in the Federal Parliament 16 times since May 2023 why they would not give us our fair share. This is on top of a joint Federal Tasmanians representative letter and a joint Liberal State and Federal letter to the Treasurer in September 2023, not to mention countless media releases and public advocacy together with the State Liberal Government.

Senator Duniam welcomes this news: “Finally, Tasmania gets what we deserve.”

“The Federal and State Liberals have led the charge to get this exemption. It is a relief that Federal Labor have reversed their decision to rip $240 million out of Tasmania’s share of the GST.”

“Tasmania deserved this funding from the start. The Federal Government’s dismissal of our needs was disrespectful, especially when they were exempting stadiums and projects in Brisbane from GST and not exempting our stadium.”

“Tasmania was being treated as a second-class state. We wanted a level playing field so that Tasmanians did not miss out on Federal funding that we deserved.”

“This is only one part of a larger list that Federal Labor must do to redeem themselves in the eyes of Tasmanians. The next one on the list is the urgent need to make a decision on the EPBC review at Macquarie Harbour where the livelihoods of so many of our salmon industry workers and their families are under a cloud because of this Federal Labor Government.”