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Mr WILL HODGMAN
(Franklin - Leader of the Opposition - Motion) - Mr
Speaker, I move –
That the House take
notice of the following matter: political leadership
in Tasmania.
What an inglorious
start to 2007 for the Lennon Labor Government. As if
2006 were not enough of a shocker, it now looks as
if we are heading down exactly the same path in
2007. It looks as if this Government has learned
nothing and has, amazingly, become even more
arrogant and out of touch. You can add the following
to the list of failings: being hands off, asleep at
the wheel and slow out of the blocks - all the
characteristics of a complacent and arrogant
government. This is now well established, and
exactly what the Lennon Labor Government has been
doing or not doing over the summer recess.
I do not begrudge
anyone taking a holiday over Christmas, taking time
to be with their family; in fact I endorse it. It
should be encouraged and the Liberal Party is all
about that sort of balance in life. It is exactly
what we stand for but there comes a time when a
little political leadership is required and
political leaders are obliged to provide it. Such a
time has occurred in Tasmania over the last few
months. I should note at this point that I have
heard the Premier on many occasions taunting people
from this side of the House about their taking
holidays. It is a regular part of his armoury,
taunting and goading Opposition members about
whether or not they are taking holidays, as if it is
some sort of sign of weakness. However, where have
you been, Premier, when the Tasmanian people needed
you over the last three months, when the State was
in a period of upheaval and uncertainty? Where were
you? When the people needed some leadership from the
Premier and government ministers, where were they?
They were on holiday or on a silly rotation of
ministerial responsibilities that gave no
consistency, no certainty and no confidence to the
Tasmania people that their Government was in
control.
The people of Tasmania
had to confront the notion of job losses around the
State and disturbing developments at Blundstone, ACL
and Scottsdale. When people around this State feared
for their jobs, this Government was on holidays.
Look at what has transpired with the pulp mill
process, for example. It is far and away the biggest
single private investment proposed for Tasmania, one
of few major developments on the drawing board.
Today we heard from the Premier that he is very
worried about this project and where it is heading.
What did he say the Government had done to get the
wheels back in motion - nothing. He could point to
nothing this Government had done to facilitate the
process. All we have heard is what the Government
has done to compromise it, to disrupt the process
and increase the level of community angst that the
process cannot be complied with by this Government.
We have also heard
disturbing statements about why Mr Green resigned.
Yes, Deputy Premier, I note what you have said today
but there seems to be an inconsistency about what Mr
Julian Green said on his departure. It establishes
the fact that either you did not know or were not
made aware of the facts or, worse still, you paid
little regard to those that were provided to you. I
do take on board what you have said today and I take
you at face value. However, what does it say about
the lines of communication when we are dealing with
one of the major projects this State has had to
contend with? A problem such as this looms large on
the horizon yet the first you know about it is by
being corrected in the media, or perhaps by your
Premier, after you had made public statements that
were clearly not right. It says a lot about this
Government's inability to provide clear and decisive
leadership.
I want to make a point
about the sitting schedule because, similarly, it
points to a lack of leadership by the Lennon
Government. It also highlights gross hypocrisy by
the Premier and an unwillingness or an incapacity to
meet his own commitment. This year the Tasmanian
House of Assembly is sitting for just 42 days,
including Budget Estimate hearings. That compares
unfavourably with South Australia, which will sit
for 58 days, Western Australia will sit for 57,
Victoria for 48 and the Queensland Parliament for 35
days for the year to August. New South Wales shortly
has an election so no schedule is yet set down. It
is a disgrace that Tasmania trails the pack in this
regard. It shows up Paul Lennon for being a gross
hypocrite when he said in 1997, as then acting
Leader of the Opposition, that it was unacceptable
and an insult to the Tasmanian community for
Parliament to sit for only 47 days and that public
confidence in the political system would once again
be affected.
Premier, what has
changed? Why are you now prepared to insult the
Tasmanian people? Why is it now acceptable for you
to have this Parliament sit less than any other
State in the country? It makes a mockery of the
Premier's so-called commitment in his state of the
State address last year that his Government will
adopt the highest standards of transparency,
accountability and governance. They cannot do it;
they cannot deliver.
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