Morrison will campaign in northern Tasmania on Thursday with a forestry plan that includes $100 million to set up a National Institute for Forest Products Innovation in Launceston and five smaller “centres of excellence” in other parts of the country.
The policy is aimed at a big industry in the electorate of Bass,which includes Launceston and is held by Liberal backbencher Bridget Archer on a margin of just 0.4 per cent,making it the government’s most marginal seat.
The policy will also be used to shore up government support in the neighbouring seat of Braddon,where the Liberals’ Gavin Pearce has a margin of 3.1 per cent,and take on Labor in the nearby seat of Lyons,held by Labor’s Brian Mitchell by 5.2 per cent.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese campaigned in the Tasmanian seats earlier this week with a pledge in Lyons,alongside Mitchell,to spend $31 million on mental health programs,but appealing to the forestry workers has been crucial in previous elections.
Former prime minister John Howard drew cheers from the Tasmanian forest workers in Launceston during the 2004 election campaign when hepromised not to put their jobs on the “scrapheap” by halting logging.
The federal government plan does not set out all the ways in which the taxpayer funds will be spent and instead commits $219.5 million to several broad plans,including the national institute based in Launceston.