TT exclusive!
I won’t condemn Woolies.
Premier Will Hodgman hasn’t seen his own campaign plan or budget, and doesn’t know either the total figure. the amount of donations, or the media spend.
He has also refused to condemn Woolworth’s after it was revealed that the supermarket/hotel giant has been coaching staff in how to encourage its hotel customers to gamble.
Speaking at a press conference at the Launceston Gorge today, where he was announcing an announceable*, Hodgman told the Tasmanian Times that he was ‘out there speaking to the people, Ive got a whole campaign team handling the other stuff.’
When asked specifically whether he had seen a campaign plan or budget even once during the campaign, Hodgman repeated his answer.
Hodgman did not refute Labor leader Rebecca White’s claim that the Liberal party alone had put $5 million into the campaign, above and beyond gaming industry peak bodies, Federal groups and hotel chains.
Hodgman also did not specifically reply to TT’s question as to whether the campaign was being run by people behind the scenes, leaving him as a figurehead.
Hodgman would not condemn Woolworth’s, over revelations being made by Denison federal independent MP Andrew Wilkie that the supermaket/hotel conglomerate is coaching its staff in methods of encouraging people to gamble.
“That’s for Mr Wilkie to make the case, and for Woolworths to respond,” Hodgman said repeatedly.
Labor sources estimated the campaign spend as less than 10% of the Liberal spend.
*some doof doof wilderness light show or something
