The integrity of the Rockliff government is in tatters after the Premier refused to hold his own Minister to account for misleading Tasmanians over former Tasracing CEO Paul Eriksson's exit from the role.
On 6 July last year, the Racing Minister Madeleine Ogilvie issued a statement in relation to Mr Eriksson's departure, saying he would be "returning to Sydney to spend more time with his family".
But TasRacing Chair Gene Phair told Government Business Enterprise Hearings on 30 November that, in fact, Mr Eriksson had his employment terminated due to his unsatisfactory response to a workplace culture review.
And, yet, since then, Ms Ogilvie has refused to come clean about being caught out trying to cover up the real reason for Mr Eriksson's departure, and the Premier has refused to hold her accountable for her untruthful conduct.
Given the opportunity in Question Time today, Mr Rockliff again refused, claiming an issue at the very heart of his government's integrity was somehow a personal attack on Ms Ogilvie.
It is clear Ms Ogilvie has breached the Parliamentary Standing Orders and the Ministerial Code of Conduct, and if the Premier had any integrity, he would terminate the Racing Minister from his line-up and give Tasmanians the respect and transparency they deserve.
Minister Ogilvie refused to defend herself again. After a summer of refusing to answer questions about this matter from journalists, she refused to make a statement in Parliament to even defend herself.
In the absence of any leadership from Mr Rockliff, Labor attempted to refer the matter to the Privileges Committee but in another display of their contempt for Tasmanians, the Liberals used their numbers to block the bid.
Jeremy Rockliff cannot claim to have any respect for the Westminster system of government if he doesn't hold his own Ministers accountable for untruthful comments and insist that they correct the record.
Dean Winter MP
Shadow Minister for Racing
Leader of Opposition Business in the House of Assembly
