Media release – Jeremy Rockliff, Premier, 20 May 2023
Independents commit to support Rockliff Liberal Government
Premier Jeremy Rockliff has secured a commitment from Tasmania’s two new independent MPs to support the Liberal Government.
The independent Member for Bass, Lara Alexander, and the independent Member for Lyons, John Tucker will guarantee supply, vote to pass all appropriation and revenue bills and vote in favour of the government on any confidence motions.
Premier Rockliff said he is pleased that Lara and John will continue to support the Liberal Government and provide the stability the state needs to ensure its future.
“My focus will always be on making sure we continue to build a strong economy and a safe, caring community,” the Premier said.
Independent Member for Bass, Lara Alexander, said the agreement will ensure more transparency in decision-making.
“It provides an immediate dividend for Tasmanians on our decision last week to resign from the Government and seek a new way forward,” Mrs Alexander said.
“Along with the Independent Member for Lyons, John Tucker, I am confident this agreement will ultimately prove beneficial to both the Government and the people of Tasmania.”
Independent Member for Lyons, John Tucker, said he is delighted that an agreement has been reached with the Premier.
“It will make government more transparent and reinforce the role of Parliament as the key decision-maker for projects of state significance, like the proposed AFL stadium at Macquarie Point,” Mr Tucker said.
“This is a landmark agreement that paves the way for a new era of consultative cooperation. It will open a new era of engagement as we work together across the Parliament to deliver better government for all Tasmanians.”
The Premier has addressed Mrs Alexander’s and Mr Tucker’s concerns, summarised in a memorandum of understanding which is attached.
Update on Mac Point Urban Renewal Project
The Tasmanian Government will provide an opportunity for all Members of Parliament to participate in the planning process of the Macquarie Point Urban Renewal Project by requesting that the Governor declare the stadium a Project of State Significance.
This will mean the stadium component of the project will go through the Parliament for approval to direct the Tasmanian Planning Commission to undertake an integrated, independent assessment of the project, at arms-length from Government.
Significant opportunity for public and community consultation will be provided under this process. The Tasmanian Government will ensure that the planning process meets the needs of the public while allowing for approvals in a timely manner.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said that this will ensure full parliamentary oversight and offer all Members of Parliament the opportunity to participate in the process, have their say, and ensure this project is the best it can be for all Tasmanians.
“I have full confidence in the Mac Point Urban Renewal Project and the economic benefits it will deliver for our state, and firmly believe the Project will successfully withstand any scrutiny,” the Premier said.
“Mac Point is a part of our plan for economic growth – it will drive jobs and economic activity that means we can keep investing at record levels in health, in housing, in education.
“The Project is estimated to generate more than $2.2 billion in economic activity, thousands of new jobs and countless opportunities which will give young people a reason to stay in Tasmania.
“We want to see something iconic built that is uniquely Tasmanian, that attracts visitors to our State, and means Tassie can finally host events and conferences that have previously bypassed the State.”
By declaring the stadium as a Project of State Significance, the Tasmanian people will have full transparency on the position of the Tasmanian Labor Party and, once and for all, find out if Rebecca White and the Labor Party will vote to stop the stadium, and therefore stop the team and kill the dream.
Premier Rockliff said Tasmanians have long been waiting for Labor to get off the fence and tell us whether they will stop Tasmanians from ever getting the AFL team they have fought so hard for. Because the fact is, if there is no stadium, there is no team.
The Tasmanian Government is progressing an updated Masterplan through the Macquarie Point Development Corporation (MPDC) for the Macquarie Point Urban Renewal Project. As MPDC develops the Masterplan, stakeholders and the community will have an opportunity to provide input into the process.
Media release – Cassy O’Connor MP, Greens Leader, 20 May 2023
Another Dud Deal for Tasmania
Jeremy Rockliff has stitched up another dud deal for Tasmania.
Rather than work across the Parliament to provide transparent, collaborative government in the public interest, the Premier has instead enticed his former colleagues into what is essentially a Parliamentary straitjacket.
It seems that as soon as John Tucker and Lara Alexander announced they were joining the crossbench, the cynical Liberal party machinery went into overdrive. A week of frenzied talks later, and here we are.
For Mr Tucker and Ms Alexander’s part – what a disappointment indeed. Securing the Premier’s agreement to make the stadium a Project of State Significance is all well and good, but in doing so they have traded away much of the Parliament’s potential power to push for better outcomes for the Tasmanian people.
To commit to never supporting any good Bill that Labor or the Greens bring forward is really something else. If this is their commitment to Jeremy Rockliff, John Tucker and Lara Alexander are independents in name only.
Tasmanians will be asking, why did they bother blowing up the government if they’re so ready to trade away their vote? Votes which could change lives for the better and deliver real transparency of governance.
If Mr Tucker and Mrs Alexander are truly committed to transparency, they should immediately release the agreement they’ve signed with the Premier.
This is a matter with huge ramifications for Tasmania, and, as it is with the stadium and Marinus documents, the public deserves to see the details of this agreement.
Time for Labor to Step Up
As disappointing as Lara Alexander and John Tucker’s deal with the Premier is, the one thing it does deliver is an opportunity for the Parliament to vote on the stadium.
Given the new so-called independents have traded away much of the power they would otherwise have had, the Project of State Significance Process may be the best opportunity Parliament has to sink the Macquarie Point Stadium in the public interest.
With Parliament’s role now crucial, it’s time for Labor leader Rebecca White to step up. If she’s serious about her opposition to the stadium, there’s no reason she can’t today make a commitment that Labor will not vote in support of this project in Parliament.
If the Opposition Leader can’t do that, perhaps Labor MPs should start peeling their “No Stadium” stickers off their cars.
Labor’s Budget Dishonesty
Labor Leader Rebecca White and her colleagues are recklessly fear-mongering about the Greens’ plan to attempt to amend the State Budget to remove stadium funding.
Over the past few days, Ms White, Dean Winter, and Josh Willie have all claimed that amending the Budget would mean publicly employed workers would not be paid.
This is patently untrue, and Labor know it. They are deliberately spreading falsehoods about the Greens’ attempts to defund the stadium to try to cover up for their own internal uncertainty about what to do next.
Rather than playing grubby politics, Labor should join with the Greens in trying to do everything possible to stop this billion-dollar stadium from going ahead, and save current and future generations of Tasmanians from carrying a massive debt.
Here are the facts. When the Greens move to amend the Budget there are three possibilities for what happens next.
If our amendment fails, the Budget will still then pass.
If our amendment passes with the support of the Liberals, the Budget will still pass and the Parliament will continue as normal.
If our amendment passes without the support of the Liberals, the Budget will still pass – but the House will have effectively expressed no confidence in the Rockliff Government. Convention suggests the Premier would need to resign.
The Greens will not be blocking the Budget. We’ll vote to pass it regardless of what happens to our stadium amendment.
Rebecca White is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of Tasmanians, but the truth is the supply of funds for government services – including paying our critical workers – will continue as normal no matter what.
And it will be up to Jeremy Rockliff as to whether he wants to risk losing the support of the House – and potentially his government – just so he can deliver Gill McLachlan his billion-dollar bauble.
Media release – Dean Winter MP, Shadow Leader of Opposition Business, 20 May 2023
Weak, Unstable, Minority Liberal Government
We no longer have a strong, stable, majority Liberal Government, but instead a weak, unstable, minority Liberal Government held together by two crossbenchers whose support seems tenuous at best.
The resignation of two Liberal members has thrown the government into disarray, all because Jeremy Rockliff has the wrong priorities.
Now Jeremy Rockliff has scrambled together a patchwork deal to appease his two defectors.
This deal will be a recipe for instability.
The Premier has not only handballed his signature project, the proposed Hobart stadium, to the crossbench, but also the Government’s entire legislative agenda.
The two new independents have backflipped on their positions on supply and confidence all week, and we have no confidence this new deal will actually last.
Jeremy Rockliff now has to test the fragile deal he has made with the two ex-Liberal MPs and test confidence at the earliest possible opportunity.
If he does not then Labor will, because if a majority Liberal Government couldn’t get the basics right for 10 years, a Liberal minority government never will.
