Dr WOODRUFF – The Greens obviously brought this on because it is a controversial, shonky matter, and we have new information. The new information that has come through last night from the developer, under questioning in a briefing from the members of the other place, is quite happy to reveal that yes, donations were made to the Liberal Party.
We actually have two different recollections of the conversation that have been on Hansard, recorded from members of the other place. Ms Forrest said that she found out in the briefing that Tipalea had made donations to the Liberal Party. Ms Webb said in the briefing it was donated to a person, or people, or the Liberal Party. What we do not know is who in the Liberal Party received money from Tipalea. In fact, is there anyone in this Chamber that received money from Tipalea – because let us be clear, the Premier has refused to be honest with Tasmanians about what is going on.
We asked the Premier last Thursday, before this bill came on, before we debated in the House, whether the Liberal Party had received donations from the developer of the proposal that his government had on the books to fast‑track through parliament as a bill that very day. He did not give us an answer – he did not confirm or deny, but on such a serious matter, silence speaks volumes. It might not speak volumes to the people in this room, but it certainly does to people across Tasmania. They can see that as a duck‑and‑hide move.
Yesterday, we asked the Premier again whether or not he had known about any donations that were made to the Liberal Party. We asked him that today and he said that the first thing he had heard was yesterday. Well, yesterday was the same day that the Tipalea director did confirm to the Legislative Council that donations were made. When pushed, he said that he had only just heard it the day before. We do not believe that and I do not think it stands up in in the court of popular opinion. It is just unbelievable that this developer, who took out two – not one, but two – full‑page advertisements in local newspapers telling people in parliament, telling the government to bring in special fast‑tracking legislation to override the Planning Commission and the Tasmanian planning laws and push through their development. We have no comment to make about the development. Our comment is about the process and the fact that the Liberals have been shamelessly hiding from Tasmanians.
It is a fact that they got money from Tipalea, the developers. That is what they were hiding from Tasmanians, and the only reason it came out is because there was a briefing in the Legislative Council last night and it became clear because the developer obviously does not mind being honest, it is only the Liberals that have a problem with being honest.
It is the Liberals who are deceiving Tasmanians and refusing to say what is really going on with the reason to create a special piece of legislation never before seen in Tasmania. Never before has it ever happened that a developer has gone to a government, the same government it has given money to – to either individual people or to the party generally; that has yet to be determined – and got that government to push through not a special piece of legislation that would create a fast-tracking process of assessment, but actually to approve it on the spot.
There is utter silence from the Labor Party because the Labor Party needs to be clear. Did you get money from Tipalea as well? Do you know if you did? Are you going to tell Tasmanians or are you going to get someone else come up here and tell Tasmanians whether you got money from Tipalea, or is it individual members or the party? How will we know? If you have nothing to hide, why do you not tell Tasmanians whether you did or did not get money from Tipalea, or get on the phone, ring up and find out, because we should all know when this legislation is being fast-tracked through, never before seen in the history of Tasmania, overriding our planning laws.
There is no precedent for this to have a complete development picked up without any other process when it has been kicked out of the Planning Commission because of failures which can be fixed. It is not the end of the line for this developer, they just have to do what the Planning Commission says the planning scheme requires of them, just like every other developer. They do not get a special deal – unless they have made a donation to the Liberal Party. Maybe then you get a special deal.
We want the minister to say whether he was one of the people. We do not know. Minister, maybe you can confirm – have you got any money from Tipalea? According to the member for Nelson, Ms Webb, what she heard was that Tipalea had donated to a person or people of the Liberal Party. Are we talking candidates who are not here? Are we talking people who are here, or maybe even ministers who are responsible for the Planning portfolio? How would we know? There is radio silence from that side of the room.
It is a dangerous precedent for Tasmania and we will not be supporting it. We will not be supporting the fact that it got here in the first place because it had a process through the Planning Commission and it continues to have a process. All the developer has to do is what everyone else has to do. All they have to do to get it reassessed would be to submit a transport plan because they did not do a transport plan.
Mr Winter – That is not how it works. You do not understand a single thing about this.
CHAIR – Order.
Dr WOODRUFF – The application was rejected due to concerns about the lack of public transport, the impact on other towns and commercial centres in the region. There is a fix to this and it is not about overriding the planning scheme. It is not about doing it at the same time as you are on the record for getting donations from that developer. That is stinky, that looks like corruption. It sounds like corruption. It is a dangerous precedent in Tasmania and the fact that it is here at all is wrong. The fact it was rushed through last week without any opportunity other than a full-page advertisement in the Mercury and other newspapers, I am sure, telling MPs how to vote – ‘Please, would you mind giving me a special deal?’ The Greens do not support those sorts of special deals, because there should be an even playing field for all developers in Tasmania, not just the ones who have donated to the Liberal and Labor parties.
Mr Winter – You would say no to all of them equally.
Dr WOODRUFF – Mr Winter is in the Chamber and I am sure he would be pleased to confirm whether or not the Labor Party has also had donations from Tipalea. That would be great to know. Do you know, Mr Winter? You could find out.
Members interjecting.
CHAIR – One second, Dr Woodruff. I can see the way the interjections are going in this debate. I am sure other members will want to respond to Dr Woodruff and will want to be heard in relative silence, so I ask that Dr Woodruff be heard in silence from now on and comments be directed through the Chair, so we can try to keep a handle on this debate as it goes ahead.
Dr WOODRUFF – We dissent to parliament being misused like this. We dissent because it is an abuse of our parliamentary processes. It was pushed through, it is an abuse of our planning laws and it is abuse of the Planning Commission and their work. It is basically an utter disregard for the processes of law and for the transparency and confidence of the Tasmanian people.
That is on your head, members of the Liberal Party. You will have to face people and make a justification for doing something so shonky and underhanded. You are responsible for bringing Tasmania to a new low. This has never happened in Tasmania, despite the cable car enabling legislation and the pulp mill enabling legislation. It is a new low. Stony Rise will go down on the books and now we know for sure that money was given to the Liberal Party before it came to this place. Shame on you.
