10 May 2024
Topics: Antarctic funding inquiry, budget expectations for Tasmania
E&OE
Richard Perno:
Alright, where are we with all this $41.4 million overspent on the Antarctic? The inquiry, is this over now? Is that it? Is it laid to rest now, Jonno? Where are we at?
Senator Duniam:
So, the committee has done its work. It’s tabled its report and in politics, like in marriages, like in family arguments or whatever, there is a point where you can draw a line and say, righto, let’s get this right. So, the committee has tabled its report and it’s got in it a few recommendations around how best to proceed from here. So the onus is now on the Government. Yep, there was an overspend. That has happened and we do need to figure out how that happened without the Minister knowing or doing anything about it after the fact. We also need to make sure it never happens again. We also need to make sure that there’s adequate funding moving forward to ensure we have a proper science program in the Antarctic Division. So those recommendations are where the Government can do something good for Tasmania and for the Antarctic sector. So, look, while the committee has done its work, the issue isn’t quite dead and buried yet. But there is hope that if the Government listens and follows the recommendations that we will be in the right place moving forward.
Richard Perno:
Gee whiz, that’s a lot of hope and faith, isn’t it, Jonno?
Senator Duniam:
There’s a fair bit of hope and faith in this but I’ll tell you, Tasmanians will unite on many things, be it GST or be it defence or Antarctic-type policy areas and this is one of those things that I think Liberal, Labor, Green, Tyrrell, Lambie, whoever you’re talking to, we should all be on the same page here and making sure we get what we’re due and I reckon we’re going to get into a good place on that.
Richard Perno:
Yeah, Jonno, and the trouble is the Antarctic’s out of sight, out of mind, isn’t it for most of us. It’s in the dark now this time of year, too. So it’s very difficult to get traction to the general population, isn’t it?
Senator Duniam:
It is to a degree and look, there is more of it in southern Tassie and more relevant areas. You’ve got the relevant government agencies, the Antarctic Division and CSIRO, etc. But there are a lot of businesses across Tasmania that supply the Antarctic sector, that build their machinery that supply their rations etc. All of that will go belly up and that’ll impact communities like Scottsdale or Bishopsbourne, you know, all of these areas of Tasmania are likely to be impacted. So, while it is out of sight, out of mind, there are far reaching implications here that this Labor Government actually need to take into account when making decisions about how to respond to this report.
Richard Perno:
Oh, dear. Alright, you keep on that. I want to ask you in the time that we’ve got left Jonno Duniam, what do you want on Tuesday’s Federal election budget or election, I shouldn’t say election, the budget. I mean, you’re a Lib, they’re Lab. We’re just going to verse-verse or if you’ve got real, legitimate concerns about the budget. Even the Federal Treasurer has come out to say, well, it’s not going to be as bright as we thought it was going to be. Is that an escape for him? Is that letting him off the hook. What do you want?
Senator Duniam:
When the Federal Treasurer says that, it’s what those in the industry call expectation management. So, they set the bar low and they’ll land a little bit over that and be happy. But look, what I’m hoping for I think are some of the things we’ve talked about on this program before, a no worse off deal for Tasmania when it comes to GST overall. Obviously, that is a live discussion and I think in the budget papers, we should be seeing a commitment from Labor to ensure that we’re not one cent worse off when it comes to GST. Link to that our favourite project, the stadium in Hobart. Well, they have not and in fact have said that we probably won’t be getting the GST equivalent. We will have that money ripped away. Well, I think you’ve already mentioned Labor at a state level have committed to this project now. I hope Dean Winter has done the right thing and picked up the phone to Chalmers and said, ‘Hey, hey, hey, we need that $240 million in GST. We’re on board now. Please give it to us.’ So that’s got to be there. I mean a couple of things they could do that wouldn’t cost taxpayers a cent. Tanya Plibersek could, as part of the budget announcement, commit to protecting the salmon industry and Macquarie Harbour and ruling that there’s no review needed and approving the tailings down at Rosebery for MMG. There’s about 1 000 jobs protected overnight and it didn’t cost the taxpayer a single cent. That’d be a good budget measure.
Richard Perno:
Gee whizz, and as you say, it doesn’t cost us anything at all. Alright, Jonno Duniam, let’s see what happens on Tuesday. We’ll get your reaction on the Wednesday morning too, but keep up the work and we’ve got to follow through on this Antarctic Division. Even though it is in darkness at the minute for those who work there or those who rely on it supplying goods and shuttles to the Antarctic, it’s not way out of sight, out of mind. Jonno, thanks for your time this morning. Let’s see what happens in the budget as well. Appreciate it and enjoy your weekend.
Senator Duniam:
Thanks Richard.