Lara Giddings has decided to ramp up Tasmania's debt rather than risk further pain in the economy by slashing spending ...and cutting more jobs in frontline services.

Instead she's increased the Health budget by 3.5 percent to 1.2 billion....police can count on an extra $32 million over four years....and in her best indication yet that she'll sign a Gonski deal with the Prime Minister, education gets an extra $83 million over four years....(more)

The deficit now expands to $426 million, $143 million more than the forecast a year ago.

Tasmania's major hospitals are proving to be some of the nation's safest for deadly golden staph infections.

In data released by the National Hospital Performance Authority, the Royal Hobart has an outstanding result of just 10 cases for 152 thousand patients. 

Rachel Thompson from the Infection Control Unit at the Royal chalks it up to adherence to hygiene procedures....(more)

Launceston General also achieved excellent results.

Road safety authorities are targeting truckies and bus drivers passing through Howth, Campbell Town and the Huon today as Operation Austrans continues.

The national campaign's targeting speed, log books, loads and defaults as well as breath testing over the next few weeks.

Sergeant Nick Clark says it's to ensure all road users are safe

Tasmania police are adamant they're not losing control, despite a recent spate of shootings in Launceston and Hobart.

Illicit firearms are the focus of police jurisdictions across the nation for the next two weeks, Operation Unification targeting illegally imported and stolen guns used in criminal activities.

Tasmania police have destroyed 6,500 over the last five years.

Inspector David Plumpton says vigilante attitudes will not be tolerated

Premier Lara Giddings says while government belt-tightening will continue in today's state budget, there'll be investment in Tasmania's future.

It'll be unveiled behind closed doors this morning before Ms Giddings reveals all in Parliament at 3 pm.

The Liberals claim the Premier's third deficit is likely to be the biggest in the state's history, Ms Giddings blaming a plunge in Commonwealth revenue.

Some sweeteners have already been revealed including new school funding and $1.26 million for preventative health,

but the big spending will revolve around the Disabilitycare and Gonski education reforms.