At your state conference a fortnight ago, Liberal Party treasurer Rod Bramich told members, ‘It won’t be business as usual under Tasmania’s new donation disclosure laws’. He also implored everyone to up their efforts and get as much money in as possible before the laws come into effect next year. We know business as usual for the Liberals has been the interests of multinational corporations over everyday Tasmanians. You have had the likes of JBS showing up at fundraising dinners, you are mates with pokies barons and millions of party donations are kept secret.
The whole point of your government’s legislation was to tackle dirty money in politics, but your party is obviously doubling down. Will you rule out any involvement in hustling for donations with big businesses and dodgy special interests? Will you also act to ensure the Liberal Party voluntarily discloses all donations over $5000 that it receives before the laws take effect?
Mr Abetz – $1.6 million. Dirty money.
The SPEAKER – The member has asked a questions and members on my right will listen to the answer in silence.
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the member for her question and great interest in the Liberal Party state council, which was a tremendous success.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER – Thank you, Leader of the Greens and the Leader of Opposition Business.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Peter Dutton gave a wonderful address on Friday evening. I met with the Leader for an hour prior to the Liberal Party function. We are working solidly alongside our federal leader, who is standing up for jobs, as we are as a Liberal government, whether that be mining, aquaculture, renewable energy or agriculture jobs. We will always stand up for jobs.
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER – Members on my left, including Ms Finlay, the member for Bass, please.
Mr ROCKLIFF – I do not accept the premise of your question. It is laced with irony, given that a $1.6 million donation was given to the Greens to effectively close down an industry.
Mr Abetz – The biggest ever.
The SPEAKER – Leader of the House, Mr Abetz, you can also be silent, and the Leader of the Greens.
Mr ROCKLIFF – I expect every one of our team to be out there engaged with industry, talking to people in Strahan who feel insecure about what is happening federally due to Greens’ activism and the timid nature of a federal government that will not stand up for salmon farming jobs. That is who we are engaging with, first and foremost, the people and the jobs that are under threat because of you, because of the Greens and the Bob Brown Foundation, who raise money day in, day out, to shut industry down. I will not have a bar of it. I expect each one of the people behind me, Dr Woodruff, to be out there every single day engaging with their communities and standing up for the workers around rural and regional Tasmania.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Dr WOODRUFF – A supplementary question, Speaker?
The SPEAKER – Before I hear the supplementary, I will remind the Premier to direct his answers through the Chair in the hope that we will avoid the interjections. I will hear the supplementary – a not unexpected supplementary.
I will hear the unexpected supplementary.
Dr WOODRUFF – Can the Premier attend to the question and confirm whether you will ask the party to disclose donations over $5,000 that it receives before the laws take effect, if you have nothing to hide?
The SPEAKER – I wrote the question down. It was raised in the question. The question was about the donations that the party might seek. The issues of how the particular political parties in this place conduct their business is a matter for them. However, there is community interest because of the legislation, so I ask the Premier to address it in what form he can.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Thank you, honourable Speaker, and I thank the honourable member for the question. It is a pretty simple answer. We will comply with the law.
