Transcript of media conference with Andrew Wilkie MHR, Sue Hickey MP and Kristie Johnston candidate for Clark, Parliament Lawns, Hobart, 29 April 2021.
Andrew Wilkie
I’ll only talk for a few moments, because really, this is about Sue and Kristie. But what I will say by by way of introduction is since they reduced the House of Assembly to 25 members, no independent has been successful, independent has been elected. I almost got there in 2010, and missed out by 315 votes, which I thought proved that it is possible. And I got so close, although people have said ‘no, it just proved it’s not possible’. Well, let me say this. Two days out from the Tasmanian election, I am confident that the record will be broken, that at least one independent will be elected in the House of Assembly. And that’s because of a number of reasons. One is people have had a gut full of politics, politicians, and most of the political parties. They’re over it. They’re over the people in political parties treating it like a cosy club and being preoccupied with their political self interest at the expense of the public interest. So I think there is a mood for change.
And here in the Clark electorate, we have five exceptional independent candidates, and two of them are standing side by side with me today. You know what, I’m proud to stand alongside Sue Hickey and Kristie Johnston, because I think these are two remarkable people who I give a red hot chance of being successful on Saturday. And I hope they do. Because the House of Assembly and in fact politics in this state generally needs to be turned on its head. We need to get rid of all of these people who are told what to think, told what to say, told how to vote, and are beholden to their party interests and their big donors. What we need a strong and effective independents who think for themselves, who say what they think, who fight for what they believe in, and when they go in there, they vote on merit. In other words, they represent their communities and they’re true to their principles and their conscience. And that’s what you’ll get with Sue Hickey and Kristie Johnston, two exceptional candidates. And I’m really proud to call them both my friend. I’m really proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with both of them today and wish them all the best on Saturday.
Kristie Johnston
Kristie Johnston with flyers.
What we’re seeing today, right across the electorate, is flyers like these being delivered. It’s a scare campaign from both major parties warning against voting for independents. What these flyers tell me is that the major parties are scared. They’re very scared there will be strong independent voices in the parliament, voices of the community holding the major parties to account. Over the last 25 years we’ve had 19 years of majority government and it has failed us. We have a health system in crisis. We have more and more Tasmanians who simply can’t have a roof over their home because housing is so unaffordable and inaccessible. We have an education system which is grossly underfunded. We have growing traffic congestion issues. We have the worst electoral donation laws in the country. The community understand that majority government has failed them. On Saturday, they have a choice though in Clark. They can vote independent, they can vote to have a strong community voice in the parliament holding both parties to account and making sure that we get the government that we deserve, a government that represents the best interest of community, and not the dodgy deals done behind closed doors by party politics. We deserve better as a community and we can make a difference. You can make your vote count on Saturday, by voting for independent,
Journalist – unidentified
Obviously as independent you don’t have the backing of that party, do you think that you can achieve as much without a party behind you?
Kristie Johnston
You absolutely can. As I say, over 25 years, we’ve had 19 years of majority government and it has failed us. Strong independents in the parliament are the voice of the people. They’re not beholden to party politics. They’re not beholden to big corporate donors, they are there to represent the community and put the good ideas forward and support those and reject the bad ideas. They’re the ones asking the tough questions. So the conscience of the parliament on behalf of the community. It is so important that now more than ever, we have strong independents in Parliament to make sure that we get the outcomes that our community deserve. We deserve much better in health, we deserve to have housing that’s affordable and accessible. Our kids deserve to have fully funded public schools. We deserve to have an ease with traffic congestion. We’ve had a system that’s failed us, it’s time to vote it out. Majority government doesn’t work. And you have a chance on Saturday to vote independent and to have strong community representation, talking about the issues that matter to the community in the parliament.
Journalist – David Killick
What would you do if neither party finds a majority and you find yourself in to help decided the next government?
Kristie Johnston
I’ve made very clear I won’t be doing any deals with either major parties, I am there to represent the community first and foremost. It’s important that we do have stable government though, so I will work with either party to ensure that we have stability within the parliament. But most importantly, the community don’t deserve to be sold out. They deserve to have a strong voice in Parliament representing them. And I would take each issue on its merits.
Journalist – unidentified
Do you see a competition here in Clark… is there room for two independents in the electorate?
Kristie Johnston
Certainly there is. There’s a mood in the communities that they’ve had enough. They’re sick and tired of being told how to vote and being scared by the major parties. They see straight through this majority argument or the highway that the major parties are putting out there, there is a mood for change, there is a mood to have strong people standing up in the community. And in Clark, we have the opportunity to do that. We have five independent candidates, you can vote entirely for independent candidates, if you wish, in Clark we can make a difference. And we can make a difference for the entire state.
Journalist – Matt
The last minority government Tasmania did lose 10,000 jobs, we did have a recession. I mean, you can understand why some some people in the community might accept that argument that it’s not a good idea?
Kristie Johnston
Certainly there are some challenges facing our community. But as I say, in the last 25 years 19 of those have been with majority government, yet we still have the worst system in our health system. We have people who are homeless, who are sleeping rough, particularly this winter. We have underfunded schools. What has been the case hasn’t changed anything for us. If we vote the same way we vote for the major parties, we’ll get the same result. Again, we need to do something different. We had the opportunity to do that this Saturday, by voting for independents.
Tasmanian Times
Planning Matters Alliance is concerned that the Liberals want to ‘gut the planning system’, that’s their words. So there are three concerns. One is planning remaining with councils, two the current reform process of the Tasmanian Planning Scheme is not short circuited or interrupted, third there’s not a heavy financial penalty for community groups wanting to take appeals to the Tribunal. What’s your position on these issues?
Kristie Johnston
Look, certainly I support Planning Matters Alliance in terms of their concerns about the changes that are proposed to the planning provisions and the laws. It’s really important that the community have a strong voice and a strong say in how our cities are shaped and the things that happen in those cities. Again, that’s another reason why we need a strong independent in Parliament to be that voice of the community. We see it at local government level, we need it again at the state Parliament level.
Journalist – David Killick
Okay my same question to you, you’re previously (inaudible) balance of power situation after Saturday, how will you respond to forming a government?
Sue Hickey
Sue Hickey.
Well, having worked within the party system, I’m very aware of their tricks and the games and the lies. So I was making sure that they don’t get away with any of that again. I mean, seven years of majority stable Liberal government has delivered absolutely nothing but the worst outcomes in housing and health. And this, of course, flows on to jobs and security for people and its appalling outcomes. So how dare they ask for another four years when they haven’t even changed the lineup of people who delivered these atrocious outcomes? And then secondly, how dare they tell us that they won’t go into parliament without a majority? That is just an extraordinary claim. They’re trying to tell people how to vote. And people are smarter than that. They know our record. They know for three years, I’ve been screaming, calling out the government, saying they don’t give a shit in housing, or health. I had to do everything I could to change the ministers for health, and we still haven’t solved anything. So they have all this money. And they’ve never spent it. And they’ve allowed people to lay around suffering in anguish, because they’re fearful where they’re going to sleep tonight, or how they’re going to wait another two years for an appointment to the hospital.
Journalist – unidentified
We’ve seen the Liberals this campaign out making lots of promises. There are still promises from the last election campaign that hadn’t been done. Does that make you sceptical that a lot of these things actually won’t happen?
Sue Hickey
Absolutely. It’s all lies. I went along to a few of those press releases about how there was going to be a super ambulance clinic in Claremont. Where’s that? Not even a lick of paint? You know, the $20 million that was going to be spent on Cosgrove School. Where’s that? You know, is it all tied up in planning? Or what have they done? What have they delivered in three years? I’m totally and utterly ashamed of those years I was in government, only that I can put my hand on my heart and say, every single day of that three years, I made their life living hell by trying to get them to care to actually give a shit about the people of Clark.
Journalist – unidentified
Do you regret your time your time with the Liberals?
Sue Hickey
I think I was sort of stuck in some sort of time warp. And I kept thinking that I could fix things from the inside, I was really hopeful with a new Premier, that I could get a change of thinking. But as it turned out, he did the dirty as well. So, you know, they’ve shafted me, right? From the day that I signed up. And fortunately, by sacking me they’ve released me, I’m free. Now I can call out all their bad behaviour I know what their tricks are. And I won’t let them get away with it again,
Tasmanian Times
The Premier has delayed making the final report into the review of the State Service public; it was due in March. What do you think it might contain?
Sue Hickey
Well, a lot of things he doesn’t want the public to know, obviously. I think this election was called as a snap election, because they were very frightened about what was going to happen with all these child abuse claims. What was happening in the public service… there’ll be bullying claims, there’ll be some outrageous claims of cover up. I think they went to the election early so they didn’t have to deal with electoral donation reform. There were a lot of things on the list that they haven’t dealt with. And we could have had another 12 months of getting on with actual practical stuff. And getting these things not only dealt with, but houses built and people out of pain.
Tasmanian Times
If it’s okay could you speak to the planning issue I asked Kristie about?
Sue Hickey
Yes, I’ve given my word to Planning Alliance that I don’t support the fact that there’ll be huge penalties for people to protest against proposals for development. And I’m also pleased to support them on the other issues as well. And I’ve written back to every single person who has written to me on this matter,
Journalist – Matt
Andrew, last time you stood with some independents, you said it wasn’t an endorsement? Is this an endorsement? It sure sounds like it.
Andrew Wilkie
No, I’m not endorsing any candidate. I’m not telling the community how I think they should vote. What I’m doing is standing with two friends and independent colleagues, and asking the community to open your mind. And remember that if you just want to keep reinforcing failure, then keep voting the way you’ve always voted. Because if we’re going to turn the state on its head and start fixing things, we need new people. We need people like Kristie and Sue, who are not beholden to the political self interest of a political party, but are beholden to their conscience and their community. So I’m out there asking the community, let’s let’s change the way we do business in this state. Let’s start fixing things. Let’s start fixing the health crisis. Let’s start fixing the traffic congestion. Let’s start fixing the the housing crisis. But that is only going to start to be fixed if we have people of the calibre of Sue and Kristie in the parliament. I’ve also stood with the other three independents in Clark. You know what, if you want independents in the parliament, you can get five in Clark, and I’d be delighted. And I’d be delighted to stand with all five of them. If you want me to endorse someone, I’ll endorse all five independent candidates. The fact that I’ve taken this opportunity to stand with with Sue and Kristie, people will draw their own conclusions. And that’s for them to draw those conclusions. But I just think these two are red hot candidates, and I think there’s a real chance that not one, but two, could be elected this Saturday
Journalist – unidentified
The Premier has declined today to say what tax rate would be charged on poker machines under his legislation if the government is returned. Can I get both of you to respond to that?
Sue Hickey
Yes. Well, this is just another example of avoidance. He’s trying to get a majority government so he can bully through a lower tax threshold on pokies. And that’s just absolutely appalling. Federal Group must be made to pay a fair tax rate and that needs to be negotiated through Parliament. And everybody needs to have a say. And even those people on the backbench who are the voiceless muppets of each party, this really must be something that…it’s a huge problem, the transparency and accountability of this government, and I for one won’t stand for it.
Kristie Johnston
It’s the classic example of the secrecy that’s a hallmark of this particular government. And again, both major parties have turned their back on the harm that poker machines do cause our communities, instead favouring to do dodgy deals behind closed doors with big business. And this is another classic example of that. The harm that poker is causing our community is enormous, it must be addressed. And both parties have done these dodgy deals to ensure that pokie machines remain in our pubs and clubs in our communities, for ever, they are simply not concerned about the health crisis, the issues around domestic violence, the fact that people end up homeless because of the harm that pokie machines cause. They don’t want to see these issues. Instead, they’re more happy during these dodgy deals with big corporations to ensure that pokie machines are there for ever and a day. It is so disappointing. The community speak to me regularly on the on the issue of pokie machines and the harm that it causes and they feel like they’ve been left behind. And I think come Saturday, they’ll speak very loudly at the ballot box about this particular issue.
Journalist – Matt
And just – I don’t want to be a pedant here but – to clarify, Andrew, you’re endorsing all five independents, but not anyone in particular?
Andrew Wilkie
Now, just just to be absolutely clear. Sorry, Matt. I’m endorsing the five independent candidates in the Clark electorate, all five are good candidates, all five, any of the five or all five would make very good members of the House of Assembly. That’s the extent of my endorsement. I’m standing here today with Sue and Kristie, because I obviously have a particular relationship with these two fine people. I’m a friend. I’m a great admirer of both of them. And like the other independents, these two would turn that place on its head and start fixing the state.
Journalist – unidentified
So it’s not the birth of the Andrew Wilkie Party?
Andrew Wilkie
No, no.
Sue Hickey
But I if I could just say, Clark has already shown a willingness to support independents. And we’ve seen when Andrew has had the balance of power that we’ve had great results. And so I think the public are used to voting for an independent in Clark, and in this time, in this parliament, we need independents. We need independent thought to hold this government to account. Its record is atrocious. So if you want another four years of a dismal parliament, by all means vote them back in
Tasmanian Times
Just one more thing. The public meeting yesterday at the Town Hall called for support for the Dennes Point Declaration and the three points: a moratorium on expansion. the movement on to land and a better independent regulator. Have you had time to consider the Dennes Point Declaration?
Sue Hickey
I haven’t haven’t had time to research the Dennes Point. But I can tell you now I fully support a moratorium on the growth of the salmon industry until we can get better facts and figures. I would certainly support an independent inquiry. And I wouldn’t even mind if it was a select inquiry of the joint Houses of Parliament. I do think we can have jobs and growth but it should never be at a reckless cost to our environment.
Kristie Johnston
Likewise, I haven’t had time to consider the report but as she has said I do support an independent inquiry. I support a moratorium and I do believe we need to transition to inland.
