Despite both major parties saying their top priority is the Commission of Inquiry response, we are now hurtling towards a parliamentary week where politics is put first instead.
This simply isn’t good enough. Both the Liberals and Labor have to take responsibility for ensuring the CoI budget bill passes as quickly as possible.
The Greens are calling on the government and opposition to use the mechanisms of Parliament to pass this Bill before considering any other business, so members can fulfil our obligation to victim-survivors and the wider community.
We propose:
· The government commits to tabling the CoI Bill on Tuesday and debating it as the first order of business that day
· The opposition commits to not moving a motion of no confidence in the government until Wednesday.
This simple agreement acknowledges the importance of testing the House’s confidence in the government after the chaotic events since Parliament rose, while also ensuring the passage of the CoI budget bill regardless of the outcome of any no-confidence vote.
Given the continued disarray within the Liberal party, and the statements made in recent days by key independents, we recognise it is necessary to test the House's confidence in the government. However we believe it is in the best interest of Tasmanians for the Labor party to wait one extra day to allow the crucial Commission of Inquiry funding bill can pass first.
Given the Premier has spoken often of the importance of passing this CoI funding bill as a priority, it should be an obvious choice for him to agree that this bill becomes the government's first order of business on Tuesday when parliament returns. It would demonstrate bad faith to victim-survivors if the Liberals delayed a debate and vote on this CoI bill, just to use it as a political shield to protect them from a vote of no-confidence.
If the government agrees to our proposal, the Greens would expect all Members would be provided a final version of the CoI funding bill before Parliament sits on Tuesday.
In the wake of the momentous and historic Commission of Inquiry report, Tasmanians are looking to their elected representatives for leadership and action. All MPs have a responsibility to meet this expectation.
The Liberal and Labor parties have said many times they are committed to prioritising action on the Commission of Inquiry’s recommendations. If their commitment to Tasmanians still stands, we believe they should accept this proposal.
