Parliament and the Community Deserve Better
www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today moved a no confidence motion in the Premier, David Bartlett, over his handling of the bungled plans to appoint Mr Richard McCreadie as Interim Police Commissioner, and his misleading of Parliament when questioned on the matter.
Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said that this year long fiasco raised serious concerns over David Bartlett’s judgment, decision-making practices, and capacity as Premier.
Mr McKim outlined the following as the key components of the Greens’ arguments in support of the no confidence motion:
§ Never has Mr Bartlett explained satisfactorily why he felt the need to parachute in an Interim Police Commissioner
§ Never has Mr Bartlett explained satisfactorily why he did not act on the warnings he received before announcing the appointment on the 16th of October 2008
§ Mr Bartlett has failed to answer why he did not divulge to the Parliament that he had received stakeholder warnings when specifically asked
§ Mr Bartlett’s continual treating of the Parliament with contempt by his repeated refusal to provide full truthful answers
§ That fact that Mr Bartlett was gate-kept by advisors to ensure that relevant information was not brought to his attention, either with his knowledge and approval, or without
§ Mr Bartlett’s breaches of the Government’s Code of Conduct, and his failure to apologise and correct the record at the first opportunity available, contravening best practice under the Westminster system.
“What this boils down to is whether David Bartlett has the capacity and the judgement to be the Premier of Tasmania. On that question the jury is in, and the verdict is he doesn’t,” Mr McKim said.
“Based on the evidence before the Parliament, it is clear that David Bartlett has withheld relevant information from the Parliament, misled the Parliament at least by omission, refused to provide full and frank answers to questions, all of which demonstrates a gross contempt for Parliament.”
“All this could have been avoided had the Premier behaved like a statesman when Parliament resumed yesterday, by apologising, accepting responsibility for a crisis of his own making, and correcting the public record be providing all accurate and full information.”
“Mr Bartlett failed to do so. This again demonstrates poor judgement and a lack of capacity to fulfil the obligations and responsibilities of the position of Premier.”
“It is also very telling that nobody in Labor could mount a comprehensive argument in defence of the Premier, but instead resorted to personal attacks.”
“This is symptomatic of an old government, a stale government, and a tired government, that has lost respect for due process, and which in turn has lost the respect of the Tasmanian community,” Mr McKim said.
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Text of No-Confidence Motion tabled by Greens Leader Nick McKim MP:
That this House:
1. Notes the Premier’s announcement on October 16th last year that he had decided to appoint Mr Richard McCreadie as Acting Police Commissioner, despite having previously been made aware that the Director of Public Prosecutions was considering charging Mr McCreadie with a criminal offence, and despite Police Commissioner Mr Jack Johnston having to previously stand aside after being charged with a criminal offence;
2. Notes Mr Bartlett’s failure to adequately explain his motivations for that decision, including a failure to explain exactly why Tasmania Police needed stabilising at all at that time;
3. Notes that Acting Police Commissioner Darren Hine informed Mr Bartlett that the Director of Public Prosecutions was considering charging Mr McCreadie with a criminal offence prior to Mr Bartlett making the announcement;
4. Notes the Director of Public Prosecutions attempted to contact Mr Bartlett on the morning of the 16th Oct, and that Mr Bartlett formed a view that he would not talk to the Director of Public Prosecutions about his intention to appoint Mr McCreadie, and has not adequately explained that decision;
5. Notes Mr Bartlett’s failure to provide the whole truth in response to Parliamentary questions on this issue, including failing to inform the House that Acting Commissioner Hine had informed him that the Director of Public Prosecutions was considering charging Mr McCreadie with a criminal offence, thereby misleading the House by omission;
6. Notes Mr Bartlett’s claim that he had ‘provided the House with all detail I have in a totally open manner’, which we now know not to be true; and
Therefore agrees that the House has no confidence in the Premier due to his lack of judgement, his failure to allow all relevant facts to be placed before him prior to making such an important decision, his misleading of the House and his failure to tell the whole truth to the House and the Tasmanian people.
Nick McKim MP Greens Leader
