How Tasmania Together is Implemented
The success of Tasmania Together is dependent on its adoption by individuals, community groups, business organisations, and governments of all persuasions.
At the individual level, the Progress Board has widely encouraged everyone making a personal commitment to help achieve the goals and benchmarks in Tasmania Together. The Board has produced and distributed 51 Ways to Make Tasmania a Better Place that outlines what specific action individuals can make to promote a better Tasmania. Promotion and raising awareness levels through events and forums continues to be a priority for the Progress Board.
At the organisation level, many community and business groups have incorporated the goals and benchmarks into their strategic planning processes. Partnership agreements have been signed between the Board and key stakeholder organisations. Commitments are made in each partnership to mutually progress goals and benchmarks in Tasmania Together. The Board is currently developing the concept of Coalitions of Interest whereby relevant business and community organisations and government work together to promote the achievement of priority benchmarks.
At the government level, State Government agencies have incorporated Tasmania Together into their corporate planning processes and linked the plan to programs and policies outlined in annual reports. Each benchmark has a lead agency and the Government reports each year on action it has taken to achieve those benchmarks. To promote a whole-of-government approach, agencies have been working together on priority clusters of benchmarks dealing with issues such as health and well-being. The budget process has also been amended to ensure budget priorities are linked to Tasmania Together. Finally, a number of local councils have incorporated Tasmania Together goals and benchmarks into their five year strategic plans.
Progress on Benchmarks Since 2001
The first five year review and the 2006 Progress Report provided an ideal opportunity to look back over the first phase of Tasmania Together to see what progress had been made by the community on its own plan. Over those five years, Tasmania Together reported progress against indicators of our community, culture, democracy, economy and environment.
Compared to five years ago, Tasmanians feel safer, live longer, are more prosperous, better educated, and volunteer more. At the same time there is more reporting of domestic violence, living costs have gone up for some and smoking appears to be on the increase.
Tasmania is a more attractive place for young people, with fewer leaving the State and more being employed or in training. At the same time our population has increased and movement of people from rural to urban areas continues.
On the economic front there are more Tasmanians in employment and earning higher wages. This has been achieved through higher economic growth rates, higher investment and increased business confidence. Environmentally, more land has been protected and the use of 1080 has declined. On the downside, targets for protection of rare and threatened species have not been met.
For a more detailed outline of progress over the first five years of Tasmania Together, go to the Summary in the 2006 Progress Report.
Summary of Benchmark Target Achievements
The original Tasmania Together document contained 212 benchmarks. Roughly half of these benchmarks were never reported against, as there was no reliable and timely data source identified. Assessments were made against 2005 targets for those benchmarks with reliable data. Our first five years produced mixed results:
- 46 benchmarks have achieved or are likely to achieve the 2005 target;
- 10 met the target during the five-year period but were unable to maintain the target; and
- 39 have failed, or are unlikely to achieve the 2005 target, although in most some progress was made.
The next five-year snapshot of progress will occur in 2011 based on the 2010 targets set for the 143 benchmarks in the revised Tasmania Together.
For a more detailed summary of the progress against the 2005 targets for each specific benchmark in the original Tasmania Together document, go to Benchmark Target Achievements in the 2006 Progress Report .
