Ms O'CONNOR question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
We certainly heard a lot of the word 'I' from the Premier in his answer to the question just then. I remind him 'we' live in a community.
Today you have refused to correct a false and misleading statement you made to this place, despite the evidence being there in black and white. This untruth about how all your election commitments were funded in last year's Budget has been stated repeatedly by minister Street, who has corrected the record, and by you, who will not correct the record. Also, there has been an attempt to mislead the media - by your own media unit in April this year. How do you explain when they told the ABC:
All of our commitments were clearly documented in the 2021 22 Budget papers and approved by parliament.
Is this not a clear attempt by your own media unit to perpetuate an untruth about how your election commitments were funded?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this has been discussed many times. We stand for election, we make commitments, we get elected, and we deliver on those commitments. That is what Tasmanians expect us to do.
Ms O'Connor - But your media unit is telling journalists untruths.
Mr ROCKLIFF - You can name any project that you do not think should be supported but we work with our communities, as local members, to identify the projects that will help our communities -
Ms O'Connor - That is not the question. Explain the media unit.
Mr SPEAKER - Order.
Mr ROCKLIFF - particularly during the last few years, through COVID 19, particularly through that period of great disruption. We are all about growing our economy and also supporting our communities with valuable infrastructure. No apologies.
Ms O'CONNOR - Point of order, Mr Speaker. The Premier should apologise to the people of Tasmania for not answering this question and allowing his media unit to mislead journalists. The point of order is relevance: could he please answer the question? His own media unit is telling untruths to journalists.
Mr SPEAKER - As far as relevance goes, I consider the Premier did answer it. However, Premier, if you could - relevance to the question.
Ms O'Connor - Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr ROCKLIFF - I thank the honourable member. It has been well canvassed. We make commitments at election, we get elected or not. When we are elected, we deliver on those commitments. I am very proud that we are a Government that does deliver on our promises particularly around rural and regional communities that value working closely with all members of parliament of all colours to try to make their communities better.