It’s appalling for the Hodgman Liberal Government to be spending more than $115,000 on consultants to engage Tasmanians over prison services, including the long overdue consultation for the new northern prison.
Shadow Corrections Minister, Ella Haddad, said the Government was using consultants to do the work that should be done by their own MPs and departments.
“The Government claimed the $450 million in savage budget cuts would be made by cutting consultancies, travel and advertising. But since the May Budget, it has announced millions of dollars of new consultancies,” Ms Haddad said.
“Westbury residents are furious that Elise Archer failed to keep her promise to engage with the community before announcing the new site.
“Now we see the Government announcing a $115,000 tender for community engagement over prison services – a job that should be done by local Liberal members.
“Mark Shelton, Guy Barnett and John Tucker need to get out of their plush Government offices in Hobart and front up in Westbury to listen to the community and not just rely on consultants to do all their hard work.
“Labor has called on the Government to release all of its modelling and the list of the other nine potential sites for the prison so the community can be properly informed and engaged in the decision.”
Ella Haddad MP
Shadow Minister for Corrections
