Dr WOODRUFF question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
You have a Cabinet stacked with ultra‑conservative, anti‑science, climate‑denying ministers. Last week, Archbishop Julian Porteous directed Catholic schools to send out his We Are Salt to the Earth letter to parents. In his letter he condemned divorcees, a woman’s right to choose, supporters of voluntary assisted dying, and, of course, LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians. He urged parents to lobby MPs to weaken the Anti‑Discrimination Act, and against a ban on harmful conversion practices.
The portfolio responsibilities for most of these issues are held by many of your extreme‑views cabinet colleagues: Health, Women, Attorney‑General, and Justice.
What are you doing to make sure vulnerable Tasmanians are protected from your hard-right Cabinet? Will you rule out weakening the Anti-Discrimination Act?
Madam SPEAKER – Premier, before you answer the question, I will remind you that questions are to be related to your ministerial responsibilities. The final part of that question was. The others do go to a broader community interest. I will allow the question, but I am conscious of the fact that it strays outside of some direct portfolio responsibilities. I ask you to answer the question.
Dr WOODRUFF – Madam Speaker, point of clarification. This is the Premier of Tasmania, and this is about his Cabinet and the direction and policy of his whole government.
Madam SPEAKER – Leader of the Greens, you are quite right that they do go to some of the portfolio responsibilities. He is not necessarily responsible for the comments of an individual school, though. I do, however, point out that there are no points of clarification, but I am always prepared to take any further information you would like to add. I will ask the Premier to address the question now.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. I do not agree with her labelling of the Cabinet or individuals. I am sure the parliament and the public do not want any personal attacks when it comes to individual members of parliament, irrespective of where they sit within this Chamber. We are a collective that has been elected to the Tasmanian Parliament by the Tasmanian people with different views, and I accept that. A diverse parliament and a diversity of views brings forward the best ideas and the best policy.
There will be no weakening of the Anti-Discrimination Act. I will absolutely rule that out. For as long as we are the government – and people clearly know my views on matters of inclusivity – we will always embrace an inclusive parliament of ideas, and an inclusive community to support particularly vulnerable Tasmanians, as you pointed out in your question.
