THe message is clear TAsmania is a basketcase. It needs a massive injection of Caopital to stop the slip into bankruptcy.

As a Federated Nation we need to prop up the weak for the common wealth. However neither Sidbottom nor his LIberal opponent want this type of Government intervention and the Greens want to shut what Industry there currently exists. Only the Parties I mentioned acticvely support Government Intervention to encourage the growth of Industry. THe LDP were Liberals with a Green Social Policy ie like the Democrats they picked thhe evil economic policies of Libs and the evil social polies of ALP. . Between the two of them they closed down the Australian National LIne and let the Greens shutr Paper Mills..
Andrew Jackson
apjackson@hotkey.net.au

Houses for sale in Penguin for $200 K are a sign of systemic Governmental failure

Not really, at least not at the local level. Its more indicative of national and international changes that are slowly flowing through down here. $200k is not a bad price for a house in Penguin anyway. Land is cheaper down here, the recent bubble aside. Prices can be expected to drop for some time to come.

Yes, Tasmania needs a fourth party, probably more along the lines of the LDP than those mentioned above. The bonus down here is that the situation is ready for it, and the barriers to entry at state level are relatively low due to Hare Clarke.

But the simple presence of a fourth party wont rectify the situation. Our state budget needs to be trimmed by somewhere between 10 and 20%. Public employment needs to drop from 28% to somewhere around 20%. Regulation needs to be cut back drastically, and the state needs to be opened up for development – at least 20% of the currently ~50% of the state listed as ‘conserved area’ needs to be reopened for economic use.

My suspicion is that in the end the best way to rebuild Tasmania would be to secede for a period.

Katter and Messenger represent rural seats with Provincial NEwspapers and Radio Stations. THis gives them a greeat advantage over MEtropolitan Politicians who compete for time on State TV and Radio.

Wyatt Roy has worked hard as an MP but I doubt if the electorate know how hard he has worked. His predecessor Jon Sullivan and Sullivan’s predecssor Mal Brough also worked hard.

I have heard no personal hostility about Roy in Longman. MIchael Caisley is certainly not working as hard as Roy did to get elected.

Andrew Jackson
apjackson@hotkey.net.au

However Who in their right mind would elect individuals to Parliament who have no intention of solving the major problems of this region. JObs and TRansport. The Libs and ALP want to sit back and do nothing whilst thhe delusional GReens want to wipe out what few jobs that currently exist.

Houses for sale in Penguin for $200 K are a sign of systemic Governmental failure

Devonport is a Port but only for a few ships. Transport costs more to ship Devonport to Melbourne than Melbourne to China.

TAsmania and Braddon can not afford a single Green Vote in Parliament. Braddon needs an alternative be this DLP KAP or PUP but it can not afford closed or unbuilt Paper Mills, Shut railways and Ports with no ships.

Tasmanian voters can not afford to rely on tourist paper makers and playtime train riders they need very large investment in factories, meat canneries, fruit packing facilities.

Sidebottom did not appear to be unpopular personally and he certainly is locally active compared to Wayne SWan in Lilley (see my last comment on Tallyroom) but Wyatt Roy beats them all for activity.

What has Sidebottom done to fix TRansport and JObs?

Andrew Jackson
apjackson@hotkey.net.au

Note again though, how the Green vote basically dies out after you get north of Bell Street.

The Liberals have probably under-achieved in the north in recent times, so there is room for a rebound there. But it’s hard to see Noble Park and Dandenong shifting enough to cost Labor the seat.