Tasmanians voted for certainty and stability and that’s what the Tasmanian Liberal Government intends to deliver.
While it remains my intent for the Parliament to go full term, recent statements from the former Liberal Members John Tucker and Lara Alexander have given me pause to consider the best way forward for our state.
In mid-January, Mr Tucker wrote to me confirming in writing his threat to withdraw confidence and supply unless I acceded to his latest demands.
The truth is, it has become clear that Mr Tucker and Mrs Alexander are no longer honouring the Memorandum of Understanding they signed in May last year that promised to provide the stability and certainty that Tasmanians need.
As a result, the Parliament is becoming unworkable.
Despite the Government upholding and delivering on our end of the agreement, namely declaring the Macquarie Point Stadium a Project of State Significance and publishing the AFL agreement in full, Mr Tucker and Mrs Alexander are not honouring the intent of the agreement.
Instead, they have continued to shift the goalposts, and threatened to withdraw confidence and supply unless they get their own way.
Additionally, while the Agreement binds Mr Tucker and Mrs Alexander not to support non-Government legislation, this is being “gamed” by Labor and the Greens, who are instead moving binding political motions.
Their support for such political motions by Labor and the Greens, coupled with repeated statements about bringing down the Government is bad for business and investor confidence, and is damaging Tasmania.
This cannot go on. I will not allow the Government or Tasmanians to be held to ransom.
Tasmanians deserve certainty, and that’s why I have written to Mr Tucker and Mrs Alexander proposing a new agreement in the following terms:
- Mr Tucker and Mrs Alexander to commit to providing Confidence and Supply except in instances of corruption and malfeasance;
- Mr Tucker and Mrs Alexander to commit to not support Labor, Green or other independent bills, amendments to bills, or motions, unless agreed by the Government;
- Mr Tucker and Mrs Alexander to retain the right to bring forward their own motions and amendments to bills; and
- Other practical matters that might be agreed.
While the Government will always be willing to work in good faith with Mr Tucker and Mrs Alexander, it is not acceptable that every discussion is held with a ‘my way or the highway’ approach.
The interests of Tasmanians should always come first, not those of any one individual.
Mr Tucker and Mrs Alexander were elected as Liberal Members, on a platform of providing stable, majority government and in my view they owe it to Tasmanians to honour that commitment for the term of Government.
I am confident that such a new agreement would provide Tasmanians with the stability and certainty they voted for, while allowing the independents to continue to raise issues, concerns and proposals on behalf of their constituents.
There is much to be done for Tasmanians in the year ahead, and I have no intention of going to an early election if one can be avoided.
I am hopeful of a positive outcome and that a workable new agreement can be agreed to and continually honoured by Mr Tucker and Mrs Alexander.
The letter to Mr Tucker can be seen here.
The letter to Mrs Alexander can be seen here.
