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BUDGET 2020
Budget briefs Dealing with COVID-19
Payroll tax rebates
PAYROLL tax rebates for all youth
employees are being extended for a further
18 months as part of $22 million in budget
spending to boost jobs for apprentices,
trainees and youth employees.
The measures also include extending the
current payroll tax rebate for apprentices
and trainees for a further 12 months; and
extending both rebates to all industry
sectors.
The Government will also extend the
Targeted Apprentice and Trainee Grant for
Small Business to any small business who
employs an apprentice or trainee until 30
June 2022.
The initiatives will provide for 4000 new
apprentices and trainees.
TasRail timber transfer
THE State Budget includes an equity
transfer of $5 million from Sustainable
Timber Tasmania to TasRail in order to
further grow the state’s forest industry,
create more jobs and invest in regional
communities.
This investment will increase TasRail’s
capacity to store logs safely, increase log
transport capacity, improve log wagon
loading productivity and increase unloading
capacity and efficiency.
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Michael Ferguson said TasRail will work
with Tasmanian engineering and civil
construction firms to get each of the
elements underway as soon as possible.
Resources Minister Guy Barnett said the
significant infrastructure industry support
package will enable better movement of
southern forest products to Bell Bay.
Border control boost
TRAVELLER assessment and border control
access will be strengthened with $6 million
allocated in this year’s State Budget.
The funding will also ensure the continued
operation of the G2G PASS app and Tas
e-Travel systems and allow Biosecurity
Tasmania to maintain the state’s strict
biosecurity requirements and protect from
weeds, pests and disease.
The $6 million in the Budget is in addition
to the $2.6 million Securing our Borders
initiative that continues to support frontline
service staff, education and awareness
programs, and improved biosecurity and
emergency response capacity.
THE COVID-19 funding provision includes
$10 million for a Building Projects Support
Program to bring forward community or
commercial shovel ready projects the Government hopes will stimulate the construction sector and support jobs.
The program will provide up to 25 per cent
of the construction cost of projects worth
more than $2 million, up to a maximum of $1
million.
Projects will need to have achieved planning approval where needed and be able to
start construction within three months as well
as demonstrate positive community benefits.
The Budget confirms $20 million for the
COVID-19 Small Business Sustainability
and Recovery Assistance Package, designed
to help small business recover, re-open, innovate, build capacity and resilience.
It includes grants already awarded to 1890
businesses as well as $1 million to provide
mental health support to small businesses and
their employees.
Further funding of $500,000 is provided
for a Peak Body Support Fund to help industry bodies support their members.
Employment incentives
recognise apprentices
APPRENTICES are among those expected
to benefit from the State Government’s
budget spending.
With incentives for employers and
projects to drive construction demand, the
chief executive of the Tasmanian Building
Group Apprenticeship Scheme David
Fagan says the future looks bright.
“Certainly anything that State and
Federal Governments can do to drive
demand and support employers makes
them more likely to take on apprentices,”
Mr Fagan said.
“A lot of the incentives give employers
the confidence and help they need, it can
be enough for them to move forward and
invest in a young person.”
Hobart-based building apprentice
Daniel Lucas was recently recognised as
the TasBGAS First Year Apprentice of the
Year.
The awards recognise attitude, hard
work, a strong work ethic and high
performance on the job.
“Daniel is a good young man, he has
worked hard and we were pleased to be
Container refund support
MORE than $30 million will be invested in
waste and resource recovery initiatives. This
includes $4 million to implement the key
commitments around the delivery of a Tasmanian Container Refund Scheme in 2022.
Return of tourists
SPENDING on tourism includes an extra $4
million for the West Coast Wilderness Railway, $68 million for the Cradle Mountain
Experience and visitor experience and $19.4
million for the development of another iconic walk in the Tyndall Ranges.
Fleet to go electric
THE Government is looking to transition its
car fleet to electric vehicles by 2030. The
ministerial fleet will also transition to include four hybrid vehicles over the next two
years. The budget has set aside $2.3 million
towards buying more chargers for locations
around the state.
Hydrogen future
TASMANIA’S path to become a renewable
hydrogen epicentre has received a $4 million
kick start in the budget. The plan includes the
formation of a Hydrogen Development Unit
within state growth to support the establishment and growth of hydrogen in Tasmania.
Daniel Lucas on the tools.
able to acknowledge him in this way,” Mr
Fagan said.
Apprentices employed through the
TasBGAS are hosted by employers for the
duration of their training. The completion
rate is 90 per cent compared to an industry
average of around 55 per cent.
Infrastructure funding
• $553m for the first four years of the new
Bridgewater Bridge
• $68.5m for the Derwent Entertainment
Centre and Indoor Multi Sports Facility
• $160m for TasWater to accelerate its
infrastructure pipeline
• $8.4m for Freycinet Peninsula wastewater
• $280.6m for road maintenance across
the state
... at a glance
• $13.8m for Tasmanian Irrigation to deliver water infrastructure across the State
• $100m for up to 1000 new Social Housing dwellings
• $111.1m for the new Northern Regional
Prison
• $79.9m for the new Southern Remand
Centre
• $218.4m towards replacement of TTline vessels.
Arts funding
THE arts community will receive an extra $4
million to support artists and performers who
have been unable to earn income due to cancelled events during the pandemic. Screen
Tasmania will also receive funds.
Alternative training
A NEW $1 million not-for-profit Registered
Training Organisation will be established to
introduce an alternative training model that
meets the needs of industry.
Overseas links
THE Government hopes to leverage Tasmania’s competitive strengths through an Interim Trade Action Plan with an additional
$2.65 million to help exporters and business.
The funding will be used to recruit three new
in-market representatives in Singapore, Japan and the US.
TASMANIAN BUSINESS REPORTER, November 2020 5
