There comes a time when life changing decisions need to be made. Do I continue as I have, drawing attention as best as I am able, to the shortcomings of government policies from both sides of the political fence, or do I, if the chance arose, accept a role where I may have greater input […]
A multibillion-dollar risk to a small state under financial strain has greater benefits for the mainland than Tasmania, writes Ruth Forrest As Tasmanians headed to the polls at the weekend, with many casting early votes, we did so without a clear picture of the single biggest infrastructure decision of our generation. Buried beneath the noise […]
There’s a sliver of hope—just a glimmer—that when the dust settles on this election, the battered survivors might finally face up to the fiscal mess Tasmania is in. But it’s a long shot. Because right now, neither major party seems to grasp the depth of the hole we’re in, let alone how to climb out […]
Read More… from If you want to get to SurplusTown, would you start from here?
Tasmania’s Treasury has just delivered what might be the most passive-aggressive pre-election financial report in State history. The Pre-Election Financial Outlook (PEFO) released in June 2025 is not only a warning – it’s a damning indictment of budgetary smoke and mirrors, political spin, and the kind of financial sleight of hand that would make a […]
Independent MLC Ruth Forrest today called out the Tasmanian Government’s refusal to face the state’s deepening budget crisis, despite repeated warnings from independent experts and Treasury. “Both Saul Eslake’s Review of State Finances and Treasury’s Pre-Election Financial Outlook make it crystal clear — the growth in spending and ballooning debt are the direct result of […]
Read More… from Immediate Action Needed to Confront Tasmania’s Debt Crisis – Media Release
THERE comes a time when you have to decide: keep calling out failures from the sidelines, or step forward to help fix them. After two decades of parliamentary service, I have chosen the latter. If the Governor invites Dean Winter to form a minority Labor government, I have agreed to serve as Treasurer and will […]
Challenging times call for honest leadership. That’s why I’m stepping up, writes Ruth Forrest There comes a time when you have to decide whether to stand on the sidelines pointing out the flaws in the system, or to step into the fray and try to fix them. For many years now, I have done my […]
In my interview with David Reilly I talk about the reasons I decided to accept the position of Treasurer of Tasmania if Labor is able to form a Minority government. You can listen here: […]
Read More… from ABC Mornings -Treasurer in potential Labor Government
You can listen to my interview with ABC Drive on Monday 4 August 2025 here: […]
The Link reshuffles risks and ownership designed to make it look palatable without addressing its flaws: Sometimes the worst deals come dressed in the language of triumph. This may well be the case with Tasmania’s much-heralded “great deal” with the Federal Government over Project Marinus — a so-called nation-building initiative that’s increasingly looking like a […]
If you’re fossicking through the Marinus Whole of State Business Case (WoSBC) to find a collective tick of approval for the project , don’t bother. It’s not there. Everywhere there are warning signs, interspersed with a few assertions of benefits most of which are hidden by the censor’s black marker pen. Yet the Premier, his […]
Read More… from Post election update 3 – Marinus Whole of State Business Case – what have we learnt
You can listen to my interview with Leon Compton on ABC Mornings, Friday 1 August here: […]
You can listen to my interview on ABC Northern on Tuesday 29 July here. The commentary leading in to the interview has been provided for context. […]
Why do the Liberals keep insisting Dean Winter concede the election. Is that so the government may free itself of any obligation to consult with or inform the other 60 per cent of Tasmanians who didn’t give their first preference vote to the Liberals, whilst it continues with day-to-day decision making in the back rooms […]
This article in The Weekend Australian is timely and also informative. Sadly during the recent election it seemed the major parties didn’t want to talk about this huge project, Marinus and the North West Transmission Development, and the risks it poses to Tasmanians. I have written a number of pieces during the election period on […]
Read More… from Response to Article in Weekend Australian re Marinus
