FORMER Labor powerbroker Graham Richardson says David Bartlett would be “pretty silly” not to negotiate with the Greens.
Mr Richardson, Tasmanian Greens leader Nick McKim, federal Small Business Minister Craig Emerson, spin doctor Sue Cato and Victorian Liberal MP Kelly O’Dwyer fronted the ABC-TV Q&A forum last night.
“If anyone’s going to work with the Greens it’s Labor,” Mr Richardson said.
Otherwise, it would be a Liberal government with Labor support and “that can’t last”, he said.
“Tasmanians are looking to a pretty difficult future until someone sits down with the Greens,” Mr Richardson said.
Mr McKim said because the Tasmanian people did not give a mandate to any one party, the parties should work co-operatively.
“There are no negotiations at the moment because they’re refusing to discuss things with us,” he said.
Mr Emerson, who helped broker the deal between Labor and the Greens under premier Michael Field, said Mr McKim seemed more open to compromise than past Greens leaders and said negotiation between the parties could work.
Ms Cato is head of Cato Counsel, the public relations company that represents pulp-mill proponent Gunns Ltd, but this was not mentioned on the show.
She posed questions citing the importance of forestry, the proposed pulp mill and Walker’s Lauderdale canal development.
ABC Online:
‘Silly’ Labor leader should talk to Greens: Richardson
Updated 3 hours 38 minutes ago
Former Labor politician Graham Richardson
Graham Richardson says Mr Bartlett should get together with colleagues over a couple of drinks and rethink his position.
A former Federal Labor powerbroker says Tasmanian Labor leader David Bartlett is ‘silly’ for refusing to negotiate with the Greens.
Graham Richardson told ABC1’s Q&A program he hoped that Mr Bartlett would rethink his position.
The Greens won 21 per cent of the vote in the state election and could end up with up to five seats and the balance of power.
Mr Richardson backed the apparent commitment of Greens leader Nick McKim to stable government.
“I thought that comments from David Bartlett that basically under no circumstances would he deal with the Greens are pretty silly,” he said.
“I hope he re-thinks it. I hope he gets together with some of his colleagues, has a couple of quiet drinks one day, and works out that that’s pretty dumb and moves forward.
“If anyone can work with the Greens, it’ll be Labor,” he said.
Mr McKim told the program the Liberal and Labor parties are still refusing to negotiate with the Greens.
“If there was any mandate out of the Tasmanian election, the people voted for the political parties to sit down, be constructive and co-operative and stop sniping and deliver stability and accountability that’s actually been so lacking over the last decade in Tasmania,” he said.
Federal Small Business Minister Craig Emerson believes stable government can be achieved if all parties co-operate.
“What I’m hoping Nick, I use the word compromise, everything I’ve seen of you suggests that you’re prepared to do that,” Mr Emerson said.
“If you are, then it is possible to achieve stability in the government of Tasmania whoever forms government so long as people all take responsibility for creating a stable government, economic development, and environmental protection.”
Tasmania’s Electoral Commission hopes the final election result for Denison will be known by tomorrow.
Labor has won two seats in the Hobart-based electorate, with the Liberals and Greens guaranteed one member each.
The final seat, which could decide which party governs in minority, is being fought out between two Liberal candidates and the independent, Andrew Wilkie although the Greens still have a slight chance.
Deputy Electoral Commissioner Julian Type says counting is still slow.
“We’d be hopeful of having an outcome in Lyons on Wednesday. Denison, with a fair wind, perhaps we may have the outcome on Wednesday,” he said.
“The other three divisions, each of which has two candidates elected with a full quota, I don’t think will be decided until Thursday because there are many, many, more ballot papers to be handled in those divisions.”
Liberal candidate, Jacquie Petrusma, has tightened her grip on the party’s second seat in Franklin.
Both major parties have won two seats in the south-east electorate, while the Greens leader Nick McKim was also comfortably returned at the election 10 days ago.
Mrs Petrusma, who used to be a Family First candidate, has pulled further ahead of Tony Mulder for the second Liberal seat.
Mr Type says Mrs Petrusma is now very well positioned.
“She’s increased her lead over Tony Mulder to over 1,800 votes.”
School principal, Brian Wightman, has pulled further ahead in the battle for Labor’s second seat in Bass.
Both major parties have won two seats in the north-east electorate.
Mr Wightman now leads Scott McLean from the forestry union by about 125 votes.
Mr Type says he increased the lead by about 25 votes in preference counting yesterday.
“We looked at Michelle O’Byrne’s surplus in Bass and Brian Wightman very slightly increased his lead over Scott McLean, after the distribution of that surplus.”
“But that’s a very slight increase and that seat obviously remains very much up-in-the-air,” he said.
