Coroner & Legal
Pokies: One brave man
Boyce is a brave man.
Tasmania’s public sphere needs more of his ilk.
I would be interested to hear Denison Ind. candidate Andrew Wilkie on Boyce’s concerns and how Wilkie might deal with the matter of the Public Accounts Committee’s tardiness in reporting its findings.
James is right about the parallel approaches of Tasmania’s two most imperious and influential companies in dealing with the Parliament.
What is equally concerning is how meek and acquiescent our upper house has been in both matters of the Gunns Mill and Federal pokies licence. The Lower House is one thing, however the upper house is meant to guard against ‘‘hasty and ill considered legislation and provide a check on the Government of the day”.
James is also correct in observing Liberal and Labor’s spineless aversion to uttering anything that could be remotely construed as criticism of Gunns and Federal.
I previously wrote of the Parliaments approach to the Gunns Pulp Mill….
“Apart from young Labor backbencher Lisa Singh, no Liberal or Labor politician would be seen criticising Gunns – in or outside the parliament.
Parliamentary Hansard shows the Greens and Independents willing to confront and question Gunns on the pulp mill issue but nothing resembling criticism can be found in statements made by Labor or Liberal politicians. This contradiction typified the serious breakdown in communication between the Tasmanian Government and the community and RPDC on the Gunns Pulp Mill”.
Take some time out search through Hansard and see if you can find Liberal or Labor holding either of these companies to account in anything like the way the Tasmanian public would expect.
Federal’s attack on Will Hodgman, Gray and the Liberals attack on Ben Quin, Lennon and Parkinson’s attack on Terry Martin, Gray’s attack on Van Zetten….you get the point.
James Boyce compelling examination of how a pokies contract was awarded to Federal Hotels highlights the ongoing need for ICAC style body in Tasmania.