Securing Tasmania’s Future by Supporting Sorell and the South-East Region

A majority Liberal Government will:

  • Invest additional funding of $50 million towards the upgrade of the Arthur Highway. This will include upgrades along the length of the highway between the connection with the new Sorell Southern Bypass and Port Arthur.
  • Provide $1.5 million towards the $3 million Tasman Arch-Devils Kitchen Stage 2 Project, including an iconic suspension bridge across Devils Kitchen chasm, seeking Australian Government for remaining funding for this exciting project.
  • Provide three new paramedics for Dodges Ferry, establishing it as a double branch station, providing 24/7 paramedic coverage.
  • Provide funding of $2.5 million towards the construction of a function centre at Pembroke Park.
  • Invest $1.5 million towards the expansion of facilities at the Sorell Trade Training Centre, seeking partnership funding from Australian Government partnership funding for this $3 million upgrade so more young Tasmanians can get the training, apprenticeships and jobs for their future, here in Tasmania.
  • $400,000 for the Carlton Park Surf Life Saving Club to complete the redevelopment of their clubhouse and training room.

In addition, we have already committed to the following initiatives in the region:

  • Provide $1 million towards the resurfacing of Wielangta Road.
  • A pilot Youth Connectors program, to operate in conjunction with the Sorell Jobs Hub to focus on young Tasmanians in the area seeking jobs.
  • Investment of $5 million for Tasmanian irrigation to develop a business case to deliver the largest irrigation scheme Tasmania has ever seen, the South-East Irrigation Scheme.
  • As part of our rural hospital equipment upgrade package, $1 million is provided to buy equipment to support smaller Tasmanian Health Service sites contracted through providers, including the Tasman Multi-Purpose Centre at Nubeena. We will work with the local health service to determine the best equipment upgrades.
  • Free access to speech pathologists, psychologists and social workers for every child and family attending all Child and Family Learning Centres.
  • $10 million classroom renewal and upgrades, including Dodges Ferry Primary School.
  • $300,000 to transition nine regional school sites from limited bandwidth fixed wireless to high speed optic fibre connection, including at Dunalley Primary School and Tasman District High School.
  • $98.5 million into TasTAFE including 100 extra teachers and critical upgrades including increased access to training for regional students.
  • $2 million grant fund for new and upgraded facilities and amenities for recreational sea fishing, and $3 million to support fisheries sector.
  • Significant funding for job-creating industry sectors including tourism, hospitality, small business and many others.
  • Almost $50 million to propel the agricultural sector towards our bold target of an annual farmgate value of $10 billion by 2050, supporting rural and regional communities and creating even more jobs.
  • $10 million in no-interest loans for solar for sports club and $5 million for our renewable Energy Schools Program.
  • A boost in the First Home Owners from $20,000 to $30,000.
  • Extending school lunch pilot to 30 schools, $3 million in emergency food relief, and $3 million to double the Ticket to Play voucher so children can participate in sports and recreation.
  • $18 million investment into bushfire safety and support for career and volunteer firefighters around the State.
  • A land tax reduction of up to $613 per annum to nearly 70,000 land tax payers, including thousands of shack owners, with a review into the option of capping land tax.
  • Building a high vis army to meet a need for 25% additional workers in the building and construction industry, as well as civil contracting.
  • A Job Ready Fund of $2 million to help job seekers gain essential tools they need to get a job.
  • An extra 22,300 elective surgeries and endoscopies State-wide with a total investment of $156.4 million to deliver a record program of surgery, employing up to an additional extra 280 full-time health staff to support this as well as other health services.
  • An additional 20,000 dental appointments across emergency dental, general dental care and denture clinics.
  • Expanded Stage II of the Royal Hobart Hospital redevelopment of $200 million with expanded Emergency Department, new wards and expanded ICU to meet demand.
  • $52 million for in-home palliative and community-delivered health services, and incentives for GPs to extend after hour services.

It also adds to the significant work currently underway by a Liberal Government in Sorell and the South-East region including:

  • $27.75 million towards the Sorell School major redevelopment to be completed in 2023.
  • $4.5 million towards the construction of a Child and Family Learning Centre at Sorell, which will be completed and opened in 2022.
  • $85,000 through the $10 million School Revitalisation Maintenance Program to the Tasman District School towards painting, lighting and floor covering to be completed in 2021.
  • $350 million South East Traffic Solution, including the new Hobart Airport Interchange and Midway point Intersection Upgrade, to be completed in 2022-23.
  • Rebuilding the road base on the Arthur Highway north of Flinders Creek Bridge, and resurface between Lewisham and Old Forcett Road, to be completed in June 2021.
  • Construction of a brand new $12 million Sorell Emergency Services Hub for police, fire and emergency services to be completed in August 2022.
  • $73,132 towards renovation of the police house at Nubeena to be completed in December 2021.
  • Allocation of two additional police officers at Sorell in 2022.
  • An assessment of options to remediate erosion at Okines Beach to be submitted to the Australian Government in June 2021.
  • Construction of toilets and car park at the Tasman National Park Gateway at Tasman Arch to be completed in June 2021.
  • Upgrades to the Dodges Ferry Ambulance Station to be completed this year.
  • Construction of State-Federal-Council funded $10.2 million Pembroke Park Stadium which will include two netball/basketball courts, a gym, offices, a meeting room, change rooms, kitchen/canteen, bar and function room and parking which be expected to be completed at the end of 2021.
  • Supporting our farmers in the region with $150,000 to the Rural Relief Fund to assist those in hardship, $20,000 for TFGA Tasmanian Fodder Register, $150,000 for Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture to assist drought affected farmers and $350,000 in targeted drought weed management support.

The Tasmanian Liberals are the strongest supporters of our regional communities.

We have worked hard to support the Sorell and South-East community and its plans for economic growth and job creation.

Our support continues with further initiatives under a re-elected Majority Liberal Government.We will:

Invest additional funding of $50 million towards the upgrade of the Arthur Highway

The Arthur Highway is a key tourist route, with a significant level of visitation to the Port Arthur Historic Site, Eaglehawk Neck, Pennicott Cruises, the Three Capes Walk and the beautiful Tasman National Park.

A re-elected Majority Liberal Government will invest $50 million into a program of upgrades and safety improvements on the Arthur Highway.

This will include upgrades along the length of the highway between the connection with the new Sorell Southern Bypass and Port Arthur.

The upgrade will deliver wider road shoulders, junction upgrades and new overtaking opportunities, making the drive to this picturesque peninsula more enjoyable and safer for residents and visitors alike.

Provide $1.5 million towards the $3 million Tasman Arch-Devils Kitchen Stage 2 Project, including an iconic suspension bridge across Devils Kitchen chasm, seeking Australian Government for remaining funding for this exciting project

Helping our tourism industry recover from the impacts of COVID-19 will be vitally important, especially for jobs in our regional areas and for the broader economy.

We must ensure we can continue to attract visitors while delivering high-quality experiences well into the future.

The Liberal Government has invested heavily in the widely acclaimed Three Capes Track Experience which opened in December 2015.

This Experience, along with the Port Arthur Historic Site, have been regional economic drivers for the Tasman Peninsula.

More recently, the Government has invested in satellite attractions such as Shipstern’s Bluff, Remarkable Cave and Tasman Arch-Devils Kitchen site.

A re-elected Majority Liberal Government will invest further in this region, providing an additional $3 million to:

  • Complete upgrade works at the Tasman Arch – Devils Kitchen site – featuring the construction of a suspension bridge spanning the chasm at the Devils Kitchen.
  • Complete the cave beach access, toilets and tracks at Remarkable Cave.

The bridge in particular will become an iconic tourism experience in the region. These works will further improve the attractions of the region, and encourage additional overnight stays by visitors.

Provide three new paramedics for Dodges Ferry, establishing it as a double branch station, providing 24/7 paramedic coverage.

As part of a $52 million State-wide investment into ambulance services and rural health services, a re-elected Majority Liberal Government will provide $1.5 million over four years to deliver three new paramedics for Dodges Ferry.

This will establish Dodges Ferry as a double branch station, providing 24/7 paramedic coverage for the region.

These three additional paramedics are part of our plan to have 48 new paramedics in place within the next two years.

We will also provide $9 million to deliver an upgraded ambulance fleet of vehicles and will upgrade and replace critical equipment to support our paramedics.

Provide funding of $2.5 million towards the construction of a function centre at Pembroke Park

Currently there is a strong demand for a modern, fit for purpose function centre facility to cater for the increase of activity in the South-East region.

Pembroke Park is home to a number of sporting groups including: Sorell Senior Football Club, Sorell Junior Football Club, Sorell Little Athletics, Sorell Senior/Junior Cricket Club, South East Suns Netball Club, South East United Football Club as well as the Dodges Ferry Horseriding Club.

A re-elected Majority Liberal Government will invest $2.5 million towards the construction of a new function centre at Pembroke Park, Sorell.

Importantly, this investment will also support Tasmania’s building and construction sector and help support and create local jobs.

This investment also complements our previous investment into this facility including $630,000 towards new unisex change rooms, which have recently been completed.

In addition to this project, construction of a new multi-sport indoor stadium, as part of the Sorell Council’s Pembroke Park Redevelopment Plan, is also underway.

The Tasmanian Liberals have also committed $2.5 million towards the new multi-sport indoor stadium, with the Federal Government contributing $6 million, with Council contributing the remainder of funding.

The stadium development will include two netball/basketball courts, a gym, three offices, a meeting room, four internally accessed change rooms, four externally accessed change rooms to complement nearby soccer pitches, umpires change rooms, storage, kitchen/canteen, a bar and function room, parking, access and landscaping.

The Tasmanian Liberals are committed to securing Tasmania’s future through the development of high quality and well-planned sport and recreation facilities to facilitate Tasmanians being physically active.

Invest $1.5 million towards the expansion of facilities at the Sorell Trade Training Centre, seeking partnership funding from Australian Government partnership funding for this $3 million upgrade

The Tasmanian Liberals want to ensure young Tasmanians can get the training, apprenticeships and jobs for their future, here in Tasmania.

Since its inception in 2015, the South East Trade Training Centre has been meeting the demands for Vocational Educational Training (VET) in rural and regional areas, and has grown exponentially, due to an unprecedented demand for courses, and the continued growth in the municipality.

Currently over 160 students use the facilities every day. The Centre offers a wide range of courses from aged care, horticulture and agriculture to practical courses for trades.

The Centre has a full commercial kitchen, construction workshop, horticulture area including propagation shed, tool storage, hot house and shade house, six classrooms and access to the School Farm on site.

The centre is needs expanding to meet demand.

A re-elected Majority Liberal Government will invest $1.5 million towards a $3 million expansion of the Centre to cater for the current and future demand, seeking remaining from the Australian Government.

$400,000 for the Carlton Park Surf Life Saving Club to complete the redevelopment of their clubhouse and training room

The Southern beaches region is a growing area and it is important that community facilities are adequate.

The Carlton Park Surf Lifesaving Club has a rich history dating back to 1975 and has a strong focus on providing a supportive environment for its junior members, ensuring they develop the skills and knowledge to be safe and confident in the surf.

The Clubs Nipper program is particularly popular with children aged from 5 to 15 years and attracts young families from across the greater Hobart area.

A re-elected Majority Liberal Government will provide Carlton Park Surf Life Saving Club with $400,000 for the Club to complete its redevelopment to cater for its growth in membership and continue providing valuable lifesaving services to everyone in the region.

This investment is in addition to the $250,000 provided in 2018 and will support the construction of new, contemporary facilities at the Surf Lifesaving Club that will include the addition of disability access, amenities and a training room.

Our record in Government in the Sorell and South-East region:

  • More paramedics for Dodges Ferry.
  • $24.4m for rural and regional health facility upgrades state-wide, including the Tasman Multipurpose Centre.
  • $950,000 to the South East Employment Hub, plus $60,000 to extend the Regional Transport Trial.
  • Extended Tasman District and Sorell School to years 11 and 12.
  • Funding to the Sorell Men’s Shed and Heritage Museum for purchase of equipment.
  • $123,624 to the Dunalley Neighbourhood House towards the Barter and Buy Food Boxes.
  • $3.5 million towards an overtaking lane at Iron Creek on the Arthur Highway and turning facility at Blackman Bay Road.
  • $2 million towards improvements at the Hobart Airport roundabout.
  • $3 million towards upgrades at Stormlea Road, Nubeena.
  • $3 million towards upgrades at Fortescue Bay Road.
  • $8 million towards the Carlton River Bridge replacement.
  • Funding to Bream Creek Show Society towards facility upgrades, renovation of the Bream Creek Showgrounds and floor replacement at the Show Hall.
  • $20 million in equity contributions over the next four years to assist Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority (PAHSMA) to respond to the financial impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
  • $22,021 to the Dunalley Golf Club towards access road and pathway feasibility study.
  • $46,000 to the Midway Point Yacht Club towards a sailing craft storage shed.
  • $47,364 to the Okines Community House towards infrastructure.
  • $43,000 to the South Eastern Nursing and Home Care Association towards a Community Friendly Initiative.
  • Additional police officer in Nubeena.
  • Additional two police officers in Sorell.
  • Over $1.1 million provided through TFS and SES Volunteer Grants Program, including the Nubeena station.
  • Upgrades at Tasman National Park-Tasman Arch-Devils-Kitchen, Remarkable Cave and Mt Brown-Crescent Bay.
  • Upgraded facilities at Pirates Bay with boat and trailer parking improvements.
  • Delivery of the Three Capes Track Experience.
  • Carparking upgrade at Cape Raoul and Shipstern’s Bluff.
  • $630,000 grant to construct unisex change rooms at Pembroke Park.
  • $42,000 for lighting upgrades and seating at Pembroke Park.
  • $15,000 to the Sorell Tennis Club for the refurbishment of four tennis courts.

Costings:

The cost of this policy is $5.9 million over four years.