Dr WOODRUFF question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
Your lack of interest in a strong Integrity Commission is matched by your own lack of integrity. Look at your conduct on the stadium, the pokies reform and now the Integrity Commission inaction –
Mr ABETZ – Point of order, Speaker.
The SPEAKER – I will pause the clock for a moment. I will take the Leader of Government Business.
Mr ABETZ – Thank you, Speaker. The reflection on the Premier is completely unacceptable and needs to be withdrawn.
The SPEAKER – The member who has been offended has to take personal offence. Premier, do you take personal offence?
Mr ROCKLIFF – Yes.
The SPEAKER – In which case you may ask the member to withdraw.
I will caution members that there are some very interesting lines around the language that we use. This one was probably within the historic terms of language that is used. However, if the Premier has taken personal offence, we can have it withdrawn.
Mr ROCKLIFF – I have been around a while, so I can cope with most things. However, this is meant to be a safe workplace and so, in the interest of all members, the member should withdraw.
The SPEAKER – I will ask the member to withdraw and rephrase the question.
Dr WOODRUFF – I will withdraw. Premier, your lack of interest in a strong Integrity Commission is obvious to all of us. You obviously do have an interest in the stadium – have you started the clock again, Speaker?
The SPEAKER – Yes. For the sake of making this work well, can we start the time for the question again, please? You have one minute.
Dr WOODRUFF – Thank you. Premier, your lack of interest in a strong Integrity Commission is obvious to all Tasmanians watching your behaviour. Look at your conduct on the stadium, on pokies reform and reforming the Integrity Commission itself, not to mention your relationship as a government with big salmon.
In your deal to form government last year, you promised a review of the Integrity Commission would be conducted and completed by April this year. Ten months later, you have abandoned that commitment using the most pathetic of excuses.
You said there is a legal issue standing in the way of this review. We are very sceptical of that. Even if there was, believe it or not, it is something that parliament can fix. It is our job to make and change laws. Therefore, we have done your job and drafted you a bill to fix your so‑called problem. We ask: what is your excuse now?
The SPEAKER – I am sorry, is that the end of your question?
Dr Woodruff – That was my question. What is his excuse now for inaction.
The SPEAKER – The question is, the Greens having drafted a bill, what is your excuse, Premier? I will call you to the question. I note that normally we try to circulate documents with time for members to read them.
Dr Woodruff – I thought the Premier, who would be tabling it himself, would like to have a quick look before he tables it today.
Mr Rockliff – Thank you.
The SPEAKER – I did say interjections if they were humorous. That is borderline humorous, but I will allow it.
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I appreciate the bill the member has drafted – and you have my middle name. Thank you very much for that, which is my mother’s maiden name if anyone wants to know. It would be far simpler for there to be no legal barriers and for the review to be done, as we have explained. I wrote a very considered letter to the chair of the committee, Ms Armitage, around these matters and outlined my reasoning.
I believe in a robust Integrity Commission and framework, incidentally. I believe the pathway of the Joint Standing Committee on Integrity reviewing is the most open, transparent and legal. I appreciate your work in drafting a bill for me, but I believe the pathway is set and that the Cox review recommendations will be implemented, and the Weiss review as well. The Attorney‑General is leading that work.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Dr WOODRUFF – A supplementary question, Speaker?
The SPEAKER – I will hear the supplementary question.
Dr WOODRUFF – The Premier just said it would be far simpler to conduct the review. We have just shown that is now possible, which was his commitment with the JLN before forming government.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER – Order, members on my right. I am trying to hear.
Dr WOODRUFF – Will he be doing that, as well as whatever the Integrity Commissioner wants to do? Will you do that work?
The SPEAKER – I am pretty sure the Premier has already answered that, but if he wishes to add to it, he can choose to, but I think he made it clear that he is following the pathway of the Joint Standing Committee on Integrity. Is that correct, Premier?
Mr ROCKLIFF – Correct.
