Ms O'CONNOR question to PREMIER, Mr HODGMAN
The fall from grace of Ms Courtney leaves you holding seven portfolios and 10 yesterday when the Treasurer left during question time on a family matter. You must recognise this is untenable. As Premier, your focus needs to be on running the state, yet we can all see your options are limited. What will you do if the code of conduct investigation finds against Ms Courtney? Are you thinking ahead to that possibility? Have you approached Mr Hidding to fill the void left by Ms Courtney?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for the question and her sympathies. I am more than capable to take questions in this place on any matter concerning the Government's affairs and anything the Government is doing. That happens every other week in this place. I am more than able and capable and willing and delighted at the notion of so doing. Ideally, we might get a question on a subject of substance, a matter of policy, what we are doing to improve the lives of Tasmanians, what we are focusing on in the Government. It is one of the reasons why the so-called Dorothy Dix questions we get are so important. If you listened only to what members opposite say, you would think no time in this place is spent on improving the lives of the Tasmanians who elected us to be in this place, making decisions on their behalf and investing our time and effort into the things they care about.
Perhaps that is the reason why we are, after the March election, still sitting on this side of the parliament, not over there. We are and were focused on the people of Tasmania and that will continue to be so.
I am going to repeat my point to the member who asked the question that I have made to members opposite on numerous occasions. I will not be pre- empting the outcomes of the matters that are being inquired into. Once those matters are concluded I will have more to say.