Dr WOODRUFF (Franklin – Leader of the Greens) – Honourable Speaker, to the amendment. We are here today because of the actions of the Premier this morning and over the previous eight months or so since the election. His actions have shown crystal clear that he is putting the interests of the pokies lobby ahead of the interests of vulnerable Tasmanians, that he has abandoned a promise that he made during the election point blank to Tasmanians when asked on repeated occasions, and that since then he has been deceptive and misleading on that matter. When asked in questions in parliament, in the media and from community groups, he has point blank deceived, misled, or lied on this matter.
We agree that there are so many reasons to have no confidence in the Premier, but we are here because of a serious matter of the Premier being dishonest with Tasmanians and the Premier abandoning a promise that he made on such an important issue. We have no confidence in Jeremy Rockliff. There are the reasons that we have stated here in the motion, but in simple terms, we have no confidence in Jeremy Rockliff because of his behaviour.
I think we have aired the reasons very clearly in the House. I do not accept that we have not made the case. The facts speak for themselves. It was clearly the case that the Premier had had conversations with the THA. It is clearly the case that they have been bullying him and pressuring him to change his party’s position. We know that from the evidence of Michael Ferguson when he was Minister for Finance, and the op‑ed he wrote. It is clear he was belling the cat. It was a plea to Tasmanians to see what was going on. It was clear this is about the pokies industry, the THA pressuring the Liberal government to get the outcome they want: to have the free‑for-all they have always had since pokies were in Tasmania for decades, to do whatever they want and make as much money as they can, with vulnerable Tasmanians the people suffering. That has meant that the Premier has walked away from a promise he made to Tasmanians. He made it at the election when he knew that people cared, when he knew that eyes were on him and when he wanted to get those votes. He wanted to get the votes and he wanted to be here as Premier. It is a shameful act and an example of what he has done repeatedly.
He has certainly done it on the ferries. The Spirits of Tasmania fiasco had Jeremy Rockliff refusing to be transparent with Tasmania because he could have directed his Treasurer and Infrastructure minister to be clear with Tasmanians. He could have answered the many questions the Labor Party asked for months in parliament himself, as Premier. He chose not to do that. It was his choice to hide the truth from Tasmanians about what was happening with the Spirits. There is form here.
The reason we are here today is because we have clear evidence that, when under pressure, when pushed to give an honest answer, he will deceive, mislead or straight out lie. You have the evidence today because we have asked that for months, and so have the media and Tasmanians who represent people who are vulnerable and affected. Of course, we agree with the Labor Party that the House has no confidence in the Premier. We stand by the fact that the Greens have no confidence in the Premier.
