Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader
The Premier must commit to amending the State Policies and Projects Act 1993 to give Parliament the final say on the Macquarie Point stadium.
While announcing his short-term political survival deal last Saturday, the Premier indicated the Parliament would have two opportunities to vote on the stadium.
Yesterday on ABC radio, John Tucker MP also said Premier Rockliff had assured him “there will be a vote at the start, public consultation, and then a vote and scrutiny at the end”.
Under the State Policies and Projects Act 1993, this is not the case. It’s only under narrow circumstances that Parliament gets a second, and final vote.
Whether the Premier deliberately misled his former colleagues is still unclear. Either way, an expectation has been set.
Today in Parliament, the Greens asked Jeremy Rockliff to commit to amending the relevant legislation to make sure both houses of Parliament have the final say on the stadium – no matter what.
The Premier’s brief response was that he was seeking advice on the matter. That’s not good enough.
While the Greens will vote against declaration of the stadium as a project of state significance, for the government to move to amend the Act is as straight forward as it gets.
The Government could table an Amendment Bill to do this tomorrow.
Jeremy Rockliff should provide an iron-clad guarantee Tasmania’s Parliament will have the final say on the stadium.
Even if he won’t do it for the right reasons, the Premier should recognise the survival of his government might rest on what he does next.