Lennon dodges Green debate

Tassie Greens stumble on question of supply
Margaretta Pos writes (Fri, Mar 3):

The major parties in Tasmania are having a field day whipping up fears of instability and the spectre of Tasmania gurgling down the plug hole if there is a minority government after the March 18 state election.

They have been spurred on by Tasmanian Greens Leader Peg Putt’s comment in The Australian yesterday that the Greens would be prepared to block supply without key policy trade-offs.

Greens’ policies include ending old-growth logging, rejecting Gunns ‘ proposed $1.5 billion pulp mill – which every Labor and Liberal candidate has pledged to support if it meets environmental guidelines – and slowly removing poker machines from pubs and clubs.

Premier Paul Lennon thunders that it’s blackmail, while Opposition Leader Rene Hidding brands it banditry. But neither leader has ruled out blocking supply (with Greens support) if in Opposition. This morning, Putt put out a media release, telling them both to grow up. In shared government, she says “no-one gets everything all their own way” and consensus can lead to “win win” decisions.

University of Tasmania academic and political analyst Peter Hay says he thinks it was a tactical blunder on Putt’s part, because it plays into Labor/Liberal scaremongering over the dangers of minority government. “I say it with caution, but it could be massively damaging for the Greens,” he told Crikey.

But Hay is highly critical of the Liberals for indulging in these scare tactics, saying there is no way the Greens could block money bills without Liberal support, assuming there is a minority Labor Government.

“If the Liberals think stable government is so important, why don’t they say they would not block Supply,” he told Crikey. “The Greens can’t do it on their own, but there seems to be different criteria for judging them, allowing both Liberal and Labor to whip up fears of instability.”

Tasmaniantimes.com editor Lindsay Tuffin agrees, saying the furore in is the great tradition of the Howard Government’s fear politics. “There’s nothing wrong with a political party negotiation in the Budget for its own policies,” he told Crikey. After all, the Nationals do it in the Federal Coalition. “But in Tasmania, Labor and Liberal leaders are using it as a scare tactic in their fear campaign against minority government, against the Greens.”

What Rene says:

Media Release

RENE HIDDING, MHA

Leader of the State Opposition

Saturday March 4, 2006

Lennon should take part in leader’s debate

Leader of the State Liberal Team Rene Hidding today called on Paul Lennon to participate in a televised Leader’s debate, notwithstanding the unprecedented circumstances in which Mr Lennon’s deputy leader in waiting Peg Putt has also been invited to take part.

Mr Hidding said that as much as he had strong objections to the ABC’s decision to include the leader of a minor party in a debate that should be between the two alternative Premiers of the State, he strongly believed an election debate was in the best interests of all Tasmanians.

“I will debate Paul Lennon anywhere, any time.

“While having the leader of a minor party involved in a leader’s debate is unprecedented, I reiterate my position that if Paul Lennon agrees to be there, I will be there.

“I call on Paul Lennon to accept that notwithstanding the circumstances, an election debate is in the best interests of all Tasmanians.

“In fact, Paul Lennon, if anything is assisted by the format, as he will have his next Deputy Premier, Peg Putt, there with him if the outcome of the election is not a stable majority Hidding Liberal Government, but rather a disastrous Labor Green Accord.”

What Peg says:

Media Release
Peg Putt MHA
Greens Opposition Leader
Lead Candidate for Denison

Friday, 3 March 2006

LENNON AND HIDDING REFUSE TO DEBATE PUTT ON TV

ABC’s Three Leaders Debate Abandoned

The Tasmanian Greens today revealed that the planned ABC live Leaders Debate for this Tasmanian election has been scuttled due to both the Labor and Liberal Leaders refusing to participate if Greens Leader Peg Putt is involved.

Greens Opposition Leader Peg Putt MHA said that it seemed that Paul Lennon and Rene Hidding were running scared of the Greens who have official recognition of their Leader and formal Party status in the Tasmanian Parliament, and whose platform is critical to this election.

The Greens said that the ploy by Labor and Liberal to try and secure a two leader only debate had foundered, and that the prospect of Lennon and Hidding agreeing with each other on major policy areas would have bored viewers to screams.

“When this election was called I received an invitation from the ABC’s State Editor for News and Current Affairs to participate in a televised debate between the Leaders of the three parties, as did Mr Lennon and Mr Hidding,” Ms Putt said.

“In a snub to democracy which also reveals their reluctance to test their mettle against the Greens in a formal Leaders debate, apparently both Labor and Liberal have refused to participate if I am involved, causing the planned debate to be abandoned.”

“To refuse to take on the challenge of matching their policies with the Greens is a failure of leadership.”

“Clearly we are disturbing the Laborials old boys club and no doubt they hoped to bully the ABC into holding the debate without me there to represent the Greens.”

“I congratulate the ABC on their attempt to further full public debate and contribute to the democratic process in a debate which the Greens were prepared to be part of, and condemn these behind the scenes machinations from the Liberal and Labor Leaders.”

And, Peg on the game-playing:

Media Release
Peg Putt MHA
Greens Opposition Leader
Lead Candidate for Denison

Saturday, 4 March 2006

LENNON A HYPOCRITE: LABOR VOTED TO BLOCK THE BUDGET AND SUPPLY

During Minority Government

The Tasmanian Greens today declared Premier Paul Lennon a hypocrite as they revealed his record of voting against the State Budget, including attempting to block supply to public servants, during Tasmania’s most recent the minority government period – something which this week he has been self righteously declaring as anathema, without revealing his own past actions.

Greens Opposition Leader, Peg Putt MHA, said that the Greens had steadfastly refused to block supply despite extreme provocation by Paul Lennon and other Labor MPs, during the passage of the 1996-7 Tasmanian Budget, and this demonstrates the Greens’ track record of responsibility.

Ms Putt produced the Hansard record which clearly shows all Labor members voting to block the Budget on both the second and third readings, with recorded divisions listing Lennon, Llewellyn, Wreidt, Giddings, Cox, Best, Polley, Jackson and others voting ‘no’ to Supply in an attempt to inflict chaos and instability on Tasmania, whilst the record shows that the Greens acted responsibly in balance of power, allowing the Budget to pass.

“Mr Lennon is a hypocrite who has form on voting to block the State Budget and Supply to pay public servants, whilst the Greens responsibly allowed the Budget to pass despite extraordinary goading from Labor who tried to cause maximum instability,” Ms Putt said.

“Again the Premier has been caught out misleading Tasmanians, baselessly accusing the Greens of contemplating what he himself and six other Labor candidates have already done.”

“With this man you simply cannot trust his words, because his deeds tell an entirely different story, and he has been playing mind games with the people and hoping to get away with this breathtaking deception.”

“I believe Mr Lennon owes an apology to voters who will now see that his behaviour is always targeted towards getting his own way, and that his claims on wanting to maintain stability in a minority government situation are a fraud.”

“By contrast you can believe the Greens when we say that we will be very careful and responsible, as we have always been.”

“If Mr Lennon now wants to claim that the Greens should have voted with Labor to block supply in 1996 in order pass off his inexcusable actions, then he will be in effect saying that this is acceptable behaviour when this week he has been declaring the opposite.”