Committees in tatters as Hodgman shuts down Parliament

Tasmanian Labor
  • Workings of parliament brought to a halt
  • Short-stay, rail corridor and AFL inquiries among those postponed
  • Hodgman’s call a significant cost and inconvenience to public, key stakeholders
  • The Premier’s Parliament shutdown throws a wrecking ball through the operations of important Parliamentary committees while delaying scrutiny of the Hodgman Government on the floor of Parliament, Leader of Opposition Business in the Legislative Council Craig Farrell said.

    Will Hodgman’s decision to delay Parliament means that all committee activity ceases until the resumption of Parliament on March 19.

    This means committees of both houses* have had their plans scrapped – at significant cost and inconvenience to members of the public and key stakeholders who were due to attend – and will have to be re-established and reorganised after March 19.

    “The work of the Parliament has effectively stopped,” Mr Farrell said.

    “The Premier’s shutdown has thrown a wrecking ball through important parliamentary committees.

    “Scheduled committees such as a meeting of the North East Rail Corridor in Launceston next week are now off and will be significantly delayed, which I know will cause significant angst in the community who want to get on with this.

    “On a day where reports have shown that renting is less affordable in many Hobart suburbs than buying a house, the Short Stay Accommodation Committee has been postponed.

    “Tasmanians are the ones paying the price of a Government in crisis.”

    The Premier’s shutdown will also delay the establishment of a Legislative Council inquiry into whether Tasmania should have its own AFL team.

    *Committees of the Tasmanian Parliament can be found here: https://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/ctee/comminte.htm

    /Public Release. View in full here.