Tucker and Alexander: We’d Like to Stick to our Original Agreement

Transcript of media conference with John Tucker, independent MHA for Lyons, and Lara Alexander, independent MHA for Bass, Parliament Lawns, Hobart, 9 February 2024.

Editor’s note: the term POSS appears a few times. It is an acronym meaning Project of State Significance.

Journalist – Alex Johnston

In your own words, how did the meeting go to the Premier?

Lara Alexander – independent MHA for Bass

I think it’s been a productive meeting. And I would like to hope that the discussions were conducted in good faith, especially from my perspective and John’s perspective. We have come here in good faith to make sure that we come up with a good solution to resolve this, this crisis for a better word that was generated last week.

Journalist – Alex Johnston

What is the resolution?

Lara Alexander – independent MHA for Bass

The resolution is that as I’ve said it in my public statements before, my preference is to go back to the original agreement we had with the Premier, which I personally and John have not requested for that agreement to be dissolved. It was the Premier’s wishes last week. So we have left the Premier to consider our position which is we will work on the basis of the original agreement. And he’s agreed to look at that and consider our position. We have made no other requests, nothing else, we don’t want him to do anything else but to consider to go back to the original agreement. And for us to continue to work together with him and not expect us to work for him, but working together in a collegial way.

Journalist – unidentified

Has the Premier given any indication at all that he has moved on this?

Lara Alexander – independent MHA for Bass

He hasn’t given an indication where he stands on his original letter, but he appreciated us coming here in person and having a discussion, face to face and the fact that we had an open and honest communication. And I’ve made it very clear, I’m not going to hide behind words. What I said in public is what I said to him: I would like to consider the original agreement and move forward on that, on that basis.

Journalist – Alex Johnston

He claimed you reneged on the original agreement by threatening to withdraw supply, did you give him any guarantees today?

Lara Alexander – independent MHA for Bass

I asked him, as far as I’m concerned, for him to show me where exactly I have said that in the media or in the public domain. Because I have actually said something completely opposite to that. On the 29th of January, my media statement said that I’m offering the Premier Jeremy Rockliff supply and confidence so he can govern for the next 12 months or so and ensure that he focuses on what needs to be done. And what I said is I urged him to stop focusing so much on the AFL and the whole stadium thing, but actually, I would like him to govern for the next 12 months and focus on the many other aspects and issues we have got currently.

I have made it very clear that I offer him supply and confidence and I did ask him today, could you please please show me in the media where I Lara Alexander have said I’m withdrawing supply and confidence to you. So that’s still out there. And I said, you know, I was upset the way he handled the matter with Elise Archer, because of how it’s been handled. And I did say that to him directly at that time that I don’t think he’s handled it properly. But he knows, he knew my feelings then but I never threatened to withdraw confidence and supply for him to be able to govern.

Journalist – David Killick

Do you think Parliament will return as scheduled or are we heading for an early election?

Lara Alexander – independent MHA for Bass

I would like to hope that Parliament returns as scheduled. There’s a lot of work. There’s a lot of people out there in the community that are waiting for a number of answers. The witnesses and victim-survivors who we know that are still waiting for the answers to the questions that were in front of the committee in that week in December, those answers have not come back to Parliament yet. So there’s a number of other issues that need to be resolved. And there’s a lot of serious work to be done. This is why I did what I said what I said on the 29th of January, that I want the Premier to focus on providing answers and on resolving the issues that we’ve got in our community at the moment.

Journalist – unidentified

So you say you wanted the old agreement. Negotiation obviously requires both parties to give something; were you able to offer the Premier anything more? Obviously, he felt like the agreement didn’t work.

Lara Alexander – independent MHA for Bass

I don’t want to speak for the Premier. But for me, I will go back to the point which I said to him today, I said, as we sit here today, you are the Premier, I am talking to as the Premier of Tasmania. The budget was passed and none of the no confidence motions that were put forward in the House passed through. So as far as I’m concerned that very significant part of the agreement – where the government has been able to continue to govern – that part of the agreement has been completely upheld. And he’s the Premier.

And that’s what I said, that I would like to continue with that agreement, because I believe that we can work together collegially and collaboratively and also use this opportunity as a test of what happens when eventually elections will be called. And it’s very likely we will end up with more independents in government and whether it’s going to be John Tucker or myself in Parliament, we don’t know, he may end up having a lot more independents with a lot more diverse views. And this should be used as a test of how a government who potentially will be a minority can govern, reaching across the aisle and having that really good communication and collaboration.

Journalist – John Hunt

The Premier said he was going to take the weekend to consider everything. What will you be doing this weekend? Are there things he’s left you to consider as well?

Lara Alexander – independent MHA for Bass

No not really. No, we’ve been very clear in that. So he’s taking away what what we said today, he’s going to take away what we said. And from my perspective, I’m going to try and get as much rest as I can. Because I can certainly assure you that when I was on the 23rd of January, when I wake up from anesthesia, my thoughts were not about causing a political crisis, I can definitely assure you that. So I’ll use the weekend to rest. And I’ll wait to hear back what the Premier wants to do. And hopefully we can meet again next week, as we agreed. Meet again next week and come come to a conclusion and a resolution.

Journalist – unidentified

Has the Premier given an indication of when you come back to you?

Lara Alexander – independent MHA for Bass

No he hasn’t. He said he will take away and consider what we discussed today. And he will come back and he’s hoping that we can meet again next week and discuss further.

Journalist – Alex Johnston

You said yesterday you wouldn’t offer confidence and supply to a Premier who ignored the will of the Parliament. Is that still your position 24 hours later?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

I’ve got an assurance from the Premier today that he is going to honour the parliamentary decisions. So that has now been withdrawn.

Journalist – Matt Denholm

Does that mean not going ahead with the Hight Performance Centre for example?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

That is that is about honouring the decisions of Parliament. And following through on what the Parliament decides. So that Parliament has its own destiny, I’m not going to predict what the destiny of the Parliament is.

Journalist – unidentified

But as it stands at the moment, what does that mean? The abattoir issue?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

Both the issues that I spoke about.

Journalist – unidentified

So as far as that letter you sent him on Jan 12, do you feel like your concerns have been satisfied now?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

Yeah, I do believe that. Well, I’m going to take the Premeir at his word that he is going to honour the parliamentary decisions in your mind.

Journalist – Matt Denholm

In your mind, does that mean stopping work on the High Performance Centre? Not going forward with that until parliament has decided on the bigger project?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

The planning will still go ahead with both the stadium through the POSS process and the training facility. And that was my understanding. And that’s what we discussed today. We did discuss around that area about the training facility, the planning of that going forward.

Journalist – Alex Johnston

What does the Premier’s undertaking then mean to you on that issue?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

Well with his statement before in the media where he was going to start work immediately. Work immediately means to me that you’re going to get shovels in the ground and start work. Planning is totally different to starting work.

Journalist – Alex Johnston

So you’ve managed to guarantee no shovels in the ground until what point?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

To what point? Until the POSS process with the stadium goes through.

Journalist – John Hunt

The training and admin facility, that was never considered as part of the POSS process. What has been your concern with the planning? What’s the actual issue?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

There’s no issue with the planning. There’s an issue with starting work immediately, but not with the planning side of things. I never said, I don’t think I said the planning side of things. I said that it had to follow the planning process.

Journalist – unidentified

The Premier’s looking obviously for certainties and stability, that’s what he keeps saying. Can you guarantee you won’t threaten to pull confidence and supply in the future?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

As Lara’s said, and I’m of the same opinion, I never had a problem with the agreement that we struck with the Premier before. I’m quite happy to follow through with that agreement going forward. And that’s what I’ve said to him again today.

Journalist – Matt Denholm

So just to be clear, you had threatened to move your own motion of no confidence should Premier the not move. Has he moves sufficiently for you to withdraw that?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

He’s given me an assurance that he is going to honour parliamentary decisions.

Journalist – David Killick

And does that leave you open to vote as an independent on motions, and on other votes in the House?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

That is still up for discussion. We haven’t got to an agreement with the agreement yet. So that is still being discussed. But as Lara has said, Lara and myself are happy with the agreement as it stands,

Journalist – David Killick

Do you still think that the Premier is trying to manufacture a pretence for an election?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

That’s a good question. I don’t know. You’d have to ask him that question himself.

Journalist – David Killick

So he would be the only one that would know whether Parliament is going back, but it’s certainly not due to any obstruction on your part.

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

No.

Journalist – Alex Johnston

On the High Performance Center, at what stage of the POSS process would you then give your green light or consent for work to start?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

Once the stadium has been passed through the POPSS process?

Journalist – Alex Johnston

That could be a long, long time couldn’t it?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

Well, it could be, it may not be. That’s a hypothetical question again.

Journalist – unidentified

So if that changes, you could pull confidence again?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

I would think about what is put forward at the time, I can’t say one way or the other until I know what’s put forward.

Journalist – John Hunt

[inaudible] doesn’t that have to start early?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

Why would you want to put the cart before the horse, if we don’t have a stadium, we don’t have a team.

Journalist – John Hunt

Again, the stadium if it got delayed, you could play somewhere else. Don’t they have to have somewhere to train and in case there is a renegotiation?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

Again, like I said before, why put the cart before the horse? If we don’t have a stadium, we don’t have a team.

Journalist – Matt Denholm

To what extent do you concede that position may mean that the AFL can impose penalties on the state or even withdraw support for the entire agreement?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

I think that’s a question for the Premier because the Premier was the person that signed the deal with the AFL, not myself.

Journalist – John Hunt

[inaudible]

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

I think that’s a question for the Premier, the Premier is the only one that can decide when an election is called.

Journalist – John Hunt

Coming from that meeting, you must have a bit of an inkling, did he give anything away?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

I’d say that the Premier is fairly hard to read.

Journalist – Matt Denholm

So just further on that. I mean, to what extent do you think he’s genuinely negotiating?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

Yeah, I think that it was, I took it that he was genuine in the discussions today.

Lara Alexander – independent MHA for Bass

I think so. I think that probably the P, maybe received slightly better advice to the advice he received prior to last week. And he could, he could probably see that we are genuinely – myself and John – we genuinely are wanting to support the work being done in the community and we want him to continue so that he can focus on the things that really matter for our community. I hope that today he approached the discussions in good faith. And having said that I walked away last week when we had the other meeting with him, which was purely about constituents work and that, not expecting the events that unfolded from from last week. But I do think that in the interest of everyone, the Premier will consider what we had to say today. And hopefully we’ll return to Parliament on the fifth of March.

Journalist – John Hunt

Are you preparing for an election?

Lara Alexander – independent MHA for Bass

I would like not to have to prepare for an election simply because I understand the disruption it brings to the community. And I want I want to make it clear, it’s not about my preserving my role in Parliament. If the Premier calls an election, and I’m not reelected, that’s the will of the people. And that’s okay. So purely, my hope is that we returned to Parliament, and the Premier continues the work and the government focuses on the important issues, because that is a benefit to the community. That’s what we should be looking at and try everything possible and set aside any differences we might have, and work in a professional way. So I think being professional and setting aside differences and likes and dislikes is very important for the work that we’re doing as parliamentarians.

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

I haven’t been preparing for an election at the moment. So now I won’t be preparing for an election at the momen. When an election is called I’ll go into election mode, but at the present moment, my job is to represent my constituents. And that’s what I’ll be doing as best as my abilities are.

Journalist – Matt Denholm

So have you come away thinking that there’ll be more discussions?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

Yeah, the Premier has told us that that the meeting next week will be going ahead to have more discussions going forward. And I’m taking him at his word.

Tasmanian Times

You’ve expressed concerns in the past about Marinus Link. Is that still of concern to you and will be in these discussions?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

Well the Marinus Link, we do have the Marinus committee and they have been meeting, so I’m part of that committee. So that is being carried forward at the moment with what I’ve discussed.

Journalist – unidentified

I know you said the previous agreement has worked for both of you and you thought it was working very well. The Premier obviously didn’t agree. Is there anything you can do to offer him more certainty?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

I guess that’s what will happen over the next few weeks with discussions with him as we go down the track. And hopefully we can get an agreement that suits both of us. But as Lara has said and myself, we were quite happy with the agreement that we signed back in May last year.

Journalist – unidentified

You are willing to give ground if needed?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

I’m willing to negotiate. Yeah, I’m not I’m not gonna be that pigheaded that there’s no room to move. Yes, there is room to move with myself.

Journalist – John Hunt

[inaudible]

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

I think it’s on Friday, I have to look at my calendar. I think it’s on Friday. Usually they’re about four o’clock on a Friday afternoon, but sometimes they’re on a Thursday at four o’clock in the afternoon. So I’d have to look at my calendar.

Journalist – John Hunt

[inaudible] Is that indicator for you? Are you taking [inaudible]

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

Well, I guess I’ve taken the Premier at his word. Yes, I would.

Journalist – Matt Denholm

Just to clarify on that last issue, in relation to your independence and your [inaudible] on the floor of the House. You both said that you want to retain the ability to support non government motions and amendments. Are you standing by those that view or are you leaving that open?

John Tucker – independent MHA for Lyons

Yeah, as I said, Lara and myself have said we are still happy with the agreement that we signed back in May. And that gave us that ability. But I’ll make this point to you that what was sent to us in that letter with us being able to pass motions and bills ourselves, what’s stopping us passing a Labor motion or bill? There’s nothing.

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