The Australian, Editorial
ALONG with pinot noir, goat’s cheese and timber, Tasmania is rapidly gaining a reputation for growing dills. First it was the Premier, Paul Lennon, who earlier this year demonstrated an astounding insensitivity to appearances when it was discovered that he accepted a luxury upgrade at Melbourne’s Crown casino days before announcing a betting licence would be granted to Betfair, a joint venture involving Crown’s parent company. And that a company owned by his brother won $100,000 in government consulting contracts. Now it is Mr Lennon’s deputy and former unionist Bryan Green who is being called to account for actions that at the very least deserve a coherent explanation. As The Australian’s Matthew Denholm reports, two days before the state election was called last February, Mr Green signed an agreement giving the Tasmanian Compliance Corporation a three-year monopoly to accredit builders and building industry professionals. Outrageous as that was, his error was compounded by the fact that Mr Green’s office had previously received Crown legal advice stating that the contract ran contrary to the Building Act, which allows for more than one accrediting body.
The appearance of a culture of political back-scratching has only been exacerbated by news a controversial development was shelved before the most recent election — only to be resurrected after the ballots were counted. Walker Corporation’s attempt to build a $300 million development at environmentally sensitive Ralphs Bay — in an area represented by three cabinet ministers — ran into huge opposition last year and the developer said it had withdrawn its application. But as it turns out the application was still the subject of secret talks two months after the election. Yesterday, Mr Lennon declared it a project of state significance eligible for fast-track approval.
