Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens Leader
Today, right across Storm Bay and South-East Tasmania, people are asking themselves about the former-Minister for Primary Industries and her relationship with the Secretary of DPIPWE and what impact that may have had on the decision to allow fish farm expansion in Storm Bay.
Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens' Leader
With no viable options on his limited backbench, the Premier has had to pull Elise Archer from the Speaker's chair in order to maintain his Cabinet, which is now short one Minister.
The ministerial reshuffle has reduced numbers at the Cabinet table from nine to eight. This comes after the heavy Ministerial burden, in an already small Cabinet, was a noted factor in Matthew Groom's resignation from Cabinet.
Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens' Leader
The resignation of Matthew Groom from Cabinet and from Parliament at the next election highlights the need to restore the numbers in the House of Assembly.
With Mr Groom out of Cabinet, the pressure is now on the Premier to fill his empty Cabinet position from a shallow pool of backbenchers that includes disgraced former Minister, Adam Brooks.
When the Premier of the day is scraping around the backbench for a Minister as a result of the bad decision to cut the numbers, it is unhealthy for good governance in Tasmania.
Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader
Tasmanians may be surprised that Premier Hodgman has chosen the same person who led the witch hunt into the sale of the Triabunna woodchip mill as their new Minister for Resources, including forestry.
Mr Barnett has also spoken out against the Safe Schools program and his Parliamentary pronouncements point to a problem with LGBTI people.
The Greens wish Mr Barnett well in his new Cabinet position, but urge him to leave his prejudices at the door.
Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader
The new Minister for Mining, Adam Brooks is already in an awkward position in relation to his current business interests. Mr Brooks’ company provides maintenance services to mining companies here, interstate and overseas.
Mr Brooks’ potential conflicts of interest have not been made clear to Tasmanians and nor has the process to divest them. We have only the Premier’s assurance that it would be dealt with appropriately.
Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader and Forests spokesperson
The new Minister for Forests will need to have the courage to make the tough choices Paul Harriss clearly didn't want to make.
The first thing Mr Gutwein needs to do is develop an actual forest policy that isn't wholly slogan-based.
His predecessor was operating in a policy vacuum, creating community division while taking credit for the private plantation sector's growth and overseeing a mass exodus from the Forestry Tasmania Board.
Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens Leader
The Premier has missed a golden opportunity to place the Energy portfolio in the hands of a competent Minister in this time of energy crisis.
Matthew Groom has demonstrated beyond doubt that he is not up to the job.
Mr Groom's failures as Minister cut across all his portfolios.
Already caught out once misleading Parliament over an MOU with UTAS, Minister Groom has recently made misleading statements in the energy portfolio.
