Ms O'CONNOR question to PREMIER, Mr HODGMAN
Last year you stood by the Energy minister, Matthew Groom, when he knowingly mislead Parliament. Last week it was Mr Brooks. On both occasions your Cabinet ministers were untruthful to the Parliament and therefore the Tasmanian people yet you stood by them. Is it not that the take home message for your ministers is they can lie at will? What does that say about the standards you are prepared to uphold for your Cabinet? What do you have to say to Tasmanians who, twice now, have watched you effectively condone ministers being dishonest to Parliament?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I again point to the fact members of my Government, and I would hope it has been the case under previous governments, are expected to adhere to the very well established conventions and protocols of this place that go to this matter. Where there is an inadvertent informational answer to a question, as has happened in the cases to which you refer, it is necessary for the minister to correct the record or add to that answer at the earliest opportunity. That is what has happened.
Opposition members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER - Order, I remind the House some allegations were made in that question and you should give the Premier an opportunity to rebut them.
Mr HODGMAN - That is what has happened and that is the standard we set, adhering to the rules of this place and those processes. In the case of Mr Brooks having explained he misunderstood the question, and having then taken the opportunity at the earliest practicable point in time to correct the parliamentary record, he did so. In addition to that he accepts there is a perception of a conflict of interest, not in itself an insignificant matter, and on doing so has resigned.