Economist warns Bell Bay plan lacks the edge to revive Tasmania's north
Economist Saul Eslake questions whether the government's Bell Bay industrial plan can succeed without offering something unique.
The Tasmanian government plans to boost Northern Tasmania by turning James Boag's Brewery into a CBD precinct and Bell Bay into an industrial hub. Economist Saul Eslake says the plan has a fatal flaw: it offers nothing unique.
Tasmania produces some of the least skilled workers in Australia, making advanced manufacturing hard to attract. For ship services, the state would need to differentiate itself from Adelaide and Fremantle.
Similar industries should not simply be replaced.
- 10 years
- Timeline
- Adelaide and Fremantle
- Competing ports
Why it mattersTasmania's future depends on whether it can attract employers willing to pay premium wages for skilled work.
AustraliaTasmanian voters and workers need to know whether the government's decade-long bet will create real jobs or if taxpayers will carry a heavy subsidy for limited return.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 d ago
