Tassie waits for Mersey funding

The Abbott government has ticked all of the boxes - except for one - for Tasmania.

Last year, the struggling state's then newly installed Liberal government was left "blindsided and short-changed" by Canberra, which hit the state's coffers to the tune of $2.1 billion over 11 years.

"This year, we would hope there are no surprises," Treasurer Peter Gutwein told AAP last week.

The only new commitment Mr Gutwein was looking for was continued funding for the Mersey Community Hospital.

Taken under Canberra's wing in 2007, the hospital in Tasmania's northwest has since remained federally-funded and state-operated.

Mr Gutwein said the state government made a specific request to Canberra for the facility's ongoing funding in the 2015-16 budget.

"It is vital that continues," he said.

He may have to ask louder, with no outright mention of the funding in the budget.

The Abbott government has restated its previous commitments to the island state - $60 million for irrigation schemes and a further $203 million to expand the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme.

It's also reannounced funding for the Midland and Brooker highways, and freight rail revitalisation.

Mr Gutwein last week was happy with those measures.

The state's high unemployment rate will also be the focus of an improved Tasmanian jobs program to encourage employers to hire unemployed people.

From Wednesday, the subsidy payable to employers under the program will double to $6500 for full time jobs and $3250 or part-time places.