HOST:
With me is David Bradbury. David Bradbury, good afternoon.
BRADBURY:
Good afternoon Louise, good to be with you.
HOST:
Good to talk to you. Macquarie Point, as I was saying, at one stage we were going to put the Royal Hobart Hospital over there. We've been talking for a while now about, with Federal assistance there again financially, what we can do about addressing the forestry issue in this state. We've got a pulp mill which was going to go ahead eight years ago that now looks to be possibly dead in the water. Do you ever get the impression as a man with his finger on purse strings that doing business in Tasmania can be a little bit difficult?
BRADBURY:
I think that we can spend a lot of time reflecting on negatives but we should also bear in mind there are a lot of positives attached to investing in Tasmania and I think that that's certainly one of the strong themes that have come out of the discussions that I've had with local groups, particularly some of the local business groups in my visit throughout Hobart today. If you look at the Macquarie Point property, the rail yards property, it just strikes me that this is a tremendous opportunity in terms of the size of the property, its location, the fact that it's on the waterfront. Now, I think that being right in the centre of town is just a tremendous opportunity. I understand that there's a lot of work that has to be done in terms of remediation, and of course planning, but if you're thinking about a driver of economic activity in Hobart, I would see this as being a really significant one. I think it's important that we focus on the positives. Here we have a site, and I think a reasonable degree of commitment and goodwill towards delivering an outcome, but obviously that's a fair way off. Today I was able to inspect the 'before' shot, if you like, and no doubt at some future point we'll be able to come back and have a look at the 'after' shot as well.
HOST:
Well it's interesting you say you've been talking to people too, because again I appreciate your insight as a man who visits all the states. Now that we seem to have given great currency to this term 'social licence' in this state, there is certainly an element of conservation approval sought in every development or investment in this state. Whether to have what Tasmania does represent is the way of the future, where negotiation and cooperation on various levels is essential to doing business than perhaps what we've seen in the past?
BRADBURY:
I think, like all things in life, it's about getting the balance right and I think we've often struggled. Throughout the cycle of the economy, quite often the pendulum swings from one direction to the other, but I think the challenge is to try and achieve a sustainable outcome, both economically and also environmentally. It's difficult, particularly in the context of minority government, that's a challenge particularly here in Tasmania – we have our minority government in Canberra – but these are challenges that governments can face. In the end, it's about securing that balanced outcome, of driving economic activity, we all need that, we all need jobs, we need the services and places that will provide the goods and services we require, but particularly in a place like Tasmania where there is a lot to be proud of in terms of the backdrop of the conservation that exists within the state, I think that is important that we try and get that balance right.
HOST:
Well on those economic indicators and economic drivers you've touched on there that are key to Tasmania's economic performance, we do seem often to come at the bottom of the table when it comes to the states and territories, which gives rise, of course, to the economic assistance that's needed in this state, which may be above and beyond what our population indicates. Is there, I guess, any certainty, perhaps yet available for us that our future, our part of the receipt of GST revenue, is going to remain where it needs to be and where it has been in this state?
BRADBURY:
Well this has been one of the issues that I've been discussing with our candidate at the next election in Denison, Jane Austin, and one of the issues that we are very concerned about has been that over the years there has been a degree of consensus around the question of providing support for, in particular the smaller states in terms of how we carve up Federal funds, more specifically the GST revenue. It seems as though that consensus has now broken down. I note that Mr Abbott when he was in Western Australia recently said that he thinks that the GST funds should be carved up on a per-capita basis. Now if that were to happen, that would be absolutely devastating for the Tasmanian community. Just think about what that means. That would mean stripping away $600 million from Tasmania. It would be like Mr Abbott putting his hands in the pocket of each and every Tasmanian and ripping out $1,200. That would have a devastating impact and frankly I think that he needs to be put under some serious scrutiny on this question. I know that some of our colleagues in the Senate, Carol Brown, moved a motion in the Senate calling for support of the arrangements that we had in place to achieve what the technical people call horizontal fiscal equalisation. We moved a motion in the Senate through Carol Brown to support those arrangements and the Liberals opposed it. So I think that casts a very serious pall over the future of Tasmania under a Liberal Government should that ever eventuate and I think people really need to put Mr Abbott under a little bit of scrutiny on this issue.
HOST:
Well on that issue, he certainly has been asked about it, indeed on this program, and he has somewhat qualified his statements to, I think his words, if I can paraphrase, to ensure that Tasmania gets its fair share of the pie. I guess part of the way that you can set people's minds at ease is a guarantee from the current Government, the Labor Government, as to what the future holds for Tasmania's distribution portion.
BRADBURY:
We are committed to horizontal fiscal equalisation. We always have been and we continue to be committed to that principle. I think the point that you make about Mr Abbott is he is running around the country saying different things to different people and you can't go around telling people in Western Australia we will give you more, and say that to people in Tasmania and not have someone out there ending up with less. There's no magic pudding in all this.
HOST:
Just one of the issues arising from that, as a final question, is the State Liberals have rejected the position put forward by Tony Abbott in Western Australia. Can you give me greater certainty that we in Tasmania, specific issues are raised by your colleagues in this state at a Federal level, that you understand that and you see their point of view when it comes to formulating policy.
BRADBURY:
We've got some tremendously effective Tasmanian MPs and I can tell you as a Minister they are always knocking on my door. We've got some very capable and talented people there. Julie Collins is of course in the Ministry, we've got some good Senators there, Geoff Lyons, Sid Sidebottom, who has now taken on a higher prominence in the Government, Dick Adams, these are people that are constantly out there fighting for Tasmania. Be rest assured of one thing, when issues come up that effect Tasmania, there is a very strong voice in our Party Room down in Canberra. I've been on the receiving end of many of those lobbying activities.
HOST:
You were in Denison today, how often does Andrew Wilkie knock on your door, the Independent MP?
BRADBURY:
He knocks on my door sometimes and I knock on his door as well, because as you can appreciate in a minority government situation when legislation has to be negotiated through the Parliament there is an ongoing dialogue with all Members, and indeed the cross-benchers. Andrew Wilkie is one of those, we've got reasonably good relations, but I think people need to understand that if they want some security around this question of GST revenues, then the best thing they can do is continue to support a Labor Government, because in the end we are the only ones that have the capacity to form and continue to form government and are committed to delivering a fair share for Tasmania.
HOST:
Mr Bradbury I'll leave it there, appreciate your time, thank you.
BRADBURY:
Great to be with you.