Greens Leader Kim Booth MP today slammed the Hodgman government’s proposal to establish a secret new development process, saying it fails modern transparency and accountability expectations and opens the door to a corrupted process.
“This is the latest shocking example of poor governance by the Hodgman government,” Mr Booth said.
“The Greens are also concerned about the timing of this announcement given the expressions of interest process for development in our special national parks closes at the end of this week.”
“This plan is half-baked at best. Apparently a private developer with a ‘unique’ concept could be granted priority consideration over access to publicly owned assets, rather than go through an established transparent public tender process.”
“Lets be clear, as a determining factor ‘unique’ is very subjective, and highly difficult to quantify in the context of giving access to state assets.”
“No public asset should be funnelled to a mate or political donor dressed up as a ‘unique’ idea.”
“The only ‘unique’ thing about this proposal is that it takes Tasmania back to the bad old days of secret deals for secret mates, no better exemplified than the special deals for Gunns Limited during the Lennon years.”
“Would a proposal to erect an inflatable statue of Premier Hodgman qualify the proposer to priority-status, at a special price for Macquarie Point for example?”
“The Hodgman regime seems to be channelling the worst excesses of Queensland’s Bjelke-Peterson regime and opens the door to corruption, and risks bring Tasmania’s reputation into disrepute,” Mr Booth said.
