The Premier, Will Hodgman, has broken faith with the Tasmanian public by breaking his promise of two days ago to not guillotine debate on his government’s controversial Crown Employees (Salaries) Bill 2014, said Greens Leader and Treasury spokesperson Kim Booth MP said.
“Once again the arrogant Hodgman regime has shut down the House of Assembly and outsourced our role and responsibility, expecting the Legislative Council to do the work of this Chamber,” Mr Booth said.
“It is the fourth time in a mere eight sitting weeks since the Liberals took government, that they have run from scrutiny and gagged debate in the Lower House.”
“This is a blatant breach of trust by the Premier.”
“Two days ago, two northern newspapers printed that ‘Premier Will Hodgman has ruled out a guillotine motion to cut the debate short,’ but barely 48 hours later that promise lies shattered.” [1]
“The Greens had a series of amendments we wished to debate to put the acid on the Liberals over a range of serious matters including challenging the fact the wage freeze can be extended indefinitely under this Bill, and the side-lining of the independent Tasmanian Industrial Commission.”
“This is arrogant majority government at its worst, where the Premier’s promises are meaningless and have a life span of a mayfly,” Mr Booth said.
The Greens had also attempted to move a no confidence motion in the Treasurer for misleading the Parliament and refusing to address inconsistencies between his second reading speech’s claim the wage freeze covers all Crown employees, despite it not covering senior executive positions such as the DPP, magistrates and the Solicitor-General. This attempt was supported by Labor but blocked by the Liberals.