Ms O'CONNOR question to PREMIER, Mr HODGMAN
It is now two months since election day but Tasmanians have not forgotten. You allowed your party to be bought and paid for by the gambling industry, accepting cash and in-kind donations in the order of millions of dollars from vested interests.
Why should Tasmanians have any confidence in a premier and a government that so gladly sold its soul to a predatory industry that destroys lives?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Greens for her question. I utterly refute every single assertion and suggestion she has made within it and would ask rhetorically, whether it is the case that when the Greens Party received donations that they have been bought, or the Labor Party through the union movement.
It is so convenient that the holier than thou Greens claim that when any other political party receives the support of a constituency, an organisation or individuals who feel so compelled to be part of our democratic process that the so-called upholders of free speech, the Greens, complain. But no complaint came when they received a donation direct from a business person with an interest in Greens policy that was over $1 million dollars. Not a complaint then, but they come in now and assert that in some way have bought the election. That is arrogant and petulant because it says to the Tasmanian people that the Greens think they are stupid, that they do not know how to make a decision about the future of our state and its government.
What the Tasmanian people did buy was a strong team with a plan for Tasmania's future and a track record for delivering and a Tasmania that is very different now than it was four years ago under a Labor-Greens government. That is what they bought.
Still, here we are, a couple of months on from the election, and we have Labor and the Greens still complaining about the result. I fundamentally believe that the people always get it right and they did in this case.
They are not stupid as Labor and the Greens are suggesting. The fact that there are a lot of people –
Opposition members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER - Order. I apologise, Premier. I ask everyone to be more respectful. I am calling order again. My patience is being severely tested. Please let us get through this as civilly as we can.
Mr HODGMAN - The fact that many people and organisations were eager to be part of a democratic process which determines the future direction of our state -
Ms O'CONNOR - Point of order on relevance. I asked the Premier why Tasmanians should have confidence in him given that he allowed his party to be bought and paid for at the election. Why should they have confidence in you, Premier?
Mr FERGUSON - On the point of order, the members are trying it on in a new parliament. The member is well aware of the latitude that the Standing Orders provide to the Premier to answer the question.
Madam SPEAKER - Yes. I have read up on that. Premier, please proceed.
Mr HODGMAN - The facts are, Labor, the Greens, the media, often ask similar questions or as is normally the case of Labor and the Greens, assertions of that nature were made all the way through the election campaign and running up to it.
Tasmanians had the choice on election day. They were well aware of these claims that you are making and they deliberately chose to express their confidence in the return of a majority Liberal Government. Get over it.