• New social media guidelines designed to gag public servants
• Premier’s aim is to sack staff who dare to speak out
Premier Hodgman has launched an attack on free speech within the public service at the same time his government faces serious allegations about its role in the Cricket Australia sacking scandal.
Shadow Attorney General Ella Haddad said new employment guidelines proposed by the Hodgman Liberal Government target state service employees with the threat of termination if they engage in commentary critical of the government on social media.
“Premier Hodgman is determined to shut down any worker who is critical of his government – this is about stopping people from having their say and expressing their view as citizens,” Ms Haddad said.
“Public servants could be targeted for something as innocent as liking a Facebook post or joining a Facebook group when they should have the right and the freedom to have and express a view.
“At the same time serious allegations have been made about the government’s role in the Cricket Australia scandal, Premier Hodgman is trying to control what public servants can say.
“Public servants have every right to raise their opinions. The fact that this new social media policy has come out at the same time as the Angela Williamson sacking incident demonstrates this is a government that will go to any extreme lengths to silence critics.”
Ella Haddad MP Shadow Attorney General