It’s not exactly news that the Tasmanian election will be held on March 20 – Premier David Bartlett has been making this clear for a year – but nonetheless, it has become an official fact this morning following Bartlett’s visit to the Governor. The most recent EMRS poll suggests his government is in serious trouble, with the most likely result being that the Greens will hold the balance of power. I will hopefully have a guide to the five five-member electorates up over the next week or so; Antony Green offers an overview of the Bass electorate, with the other four presumably to follow.
Hang on a minute, the greens should romp home with 20 of the 25 seats. They are the only party to oppose the sustainable harvest of our managed forests and the value adding of our timber right here in Tasmania. According to their many media releases and polls conducted on their behalf, 80% of the poulation support their plan to close down the State’s forest industry and retrain thousands of forest workers as cafe latte waiters and those log truck drivers to become tourist bus operators.
If they do form government they plan to use public funds to give every one free insulation (they’ve haven’t been talking to minister Garrett) and all sorts of goodies funded by the tax payer. Only problem is there will be no money for the closed down forest sector, so it looks like mining and farming will have to be taxed to the hilt.
They are so confident of victory that ageing Greens leader Brown has ruled out a defeated Nick McKim as his Senate replacement and annointed him the first Green Premier.