Peg Putt MR
“Mr Iemma reckons that the failure to set up an ICAC-style body is crazy, and we say it is also bring Tasmania’s reputation down and prompting concerns about just why the Tasmanian government is so determined not to have an anti-corruption body.”
NEW PRESSURE ON LENNON FOR AN ICAC
NSW Premier brands Tas ‘crazy’ not to have one
Peg Putt MHA
Greens Opposition Leader
Friday, 26 October 2007
The Tasmanian Greens today said that the pressure on Paul Lennon to create an ICAC-style body has increased after NSW Premier Morris Iemma branded Tasmania, Victoria and south Australia ‘crazy’ for their failure to set up stand alone anti-corruption bodies when speaking at an anti-corruption conference in Sydney.
Mr Iemma said:
“Any jurisdiction that doesn’t have its own ICAC-type body is just crazy. If you don’t have one, you have either discovered a secret to human nature that has eluded the rest of us or – as is more likely to be the case – you are just kidding yourselves.
Create one. You won’t regret it.”[1]
Greens Opposition Leader Peg Putt MHA said that Mr Lennon’s continued refusal to acknowledge that this safeguard against corruption was necessary was bringing Tasmania into disrepute and prompting questions about the Tasmanian government’s reluctance.
“Paul Lennon should listen to his NSW counterpart when he says that Tasmania is kidding itself with its persistent refusal to set up an independent anti-corruption watchdog.”
“Mr Iemma reckons that the failure to set up an ICAC-style body is crazy, and we say it is also bring Tasmania’s reputation down and prompting concerns about just why the Tasmanian government is so determined not to have an anti-corruption body.”
“We need one so that we can be assured that the highest standards of probity are operating in public life in Tasmania, including in government decision-making.”
“Events over recent years have demonstrated the need to be able to refer accusations to an ICAC in Tasmania,” Ms Putt concluded.
