Labor’s Josh Willie has disgracefully questioned the integrity and professionalism of one of Tasmania’s most prominent and respected legal minds.
And in doing so he’s also gone directly against the strong statement of the Integrity Commission only two weeks ago that MPs should not be publicly promoting complaints to the Commission.
In the Integrity Commission’s annual report released last month, Commissioner Greg Melick and CEO Richard Bingham said "It is of great concern that public statements have been made by Members of Parliament about possible or actual complaints to the Integrity Commission". They pointed out that "needless and unwarranted reputational damage often accompanies such statements".
Mr Willie’s comments yesterday not only fly in the face of advice from the Integrity Commission, but are an attack on Damian Bugg AM QC who was authorised by the Premier to undertake all necessary inquiries as part of his review.
For Labor to suggest that Mr Bugg’s review was not a proper inquiry is a disgraceful attack which, if Mr Willie had any integrity, he would apologise and withdraw his comments.
