Leader of the Government in the House of Assembly, Felix Ellis, not only led a shambolic House of Assembly yesterday, he blatantly lied about it after the disgraceful, cowardly adjournment of the House.
Issuing a shockingly dishonest media release, then sharing it to social media, Mr Ellis lied to Tasmanians, telling them Labor had refused to debate the Commission of Inquiry.
This is not true. Anyone watching proceedings knows it is not true.
The Commission of Inquiry was listed in Government Business and Labor had sought and received assurances the House would sit until it had finished its business. Instead, the Liberals shut down the Parliament at 6.20 pm.
Minister Ellis' Trump-like dedication to the truth is truly shocking. It is a breach of the House Standing Orders and the Ministerial Code of Conduct, yet we know he won't be held to account. After 10 years of the Liberals, a lack of accountability is what Tasmanians have sadly come to expect.
Victim-survivors, their families, whistleblowers and advocates deserve so much better than having an important debate adjourned and then being used for Minister Ellis's dishonest political point scoring.
Sarah Lovell MLC
Shadow Minister for Children and Youth
