Tasmanian Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff says Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s integrity is “in tatters” as the crossbench considers a possible censure motion when parliament returns next week.
Woodruff is meeting crossbench colleagues today and over the weekend to decide how to respond to the handling of taxpayer-funded legal fees for two of Rockliff’s ministers.
She said a censure motion was one option being discussed, along with a referral to parliament’s privileges committee and an order for the release of documents.
“A censure is being discussed,” Woodruff confirmed on Friday.
“That would be an historic situation. No premier in Tasmania that we’re aware of has been censured by parliament.”
“It doesn’t remove Jeremy Rockliff from his role as premier, but it is a serious black mark.”
The matter centres on former minister Madeleine Ogilvie, who quit cabinet last month after allegations she misled parliament over Supreme Court action she had initiated.
Taxpayers spent about $120,000 on her legal fees.
Rockliff answered a series of crossbench questions in a letter released on Friday morning.
The letter confirmed he did not seek formal legal advice before last week’s budget estimates hearings, where he repeatedly said he could not answer questions.
Woodruff said that was the heart of the problem. “His integrity is in tatters as a result of his letter to us,” she said.
“Clearly there has to be accountability for Jeremy Rockliff for his role as premier in failing to ensure that the ministerial code of conduct was abided by his minister and for essentially being involved in the cover-up of her lying to parliament.”
Rockliff has played down the censure threat, saying earlier this week it was a matter for the “will of the parliament”.
Labor has also targeted the premier but stopped short of committing to a censure.
Shadow attorney-general Ella Haddad said Rockliff had been “exposed trying to deceive Tasmanians” by suggesting he had legal advice preventing him from answering questions.
“The boilerplate response he and his colleagues repeatedly gave through the week has been exposed as nothing more than a political cover-up,” Haddad said.
She said the same questions remained over Minister Jane Howlett and that Labor would “look at all of the avenues open” to hold the premier and his ministers “to account”.
“Madeleine Ogilvie’s position in cabinet was untenable and unless the Liberals come clean about Minister Howlett’s $300,000 worth of legal fees her position is too,” Haddad said.
The state government rejects any link between the two cases.
Minister Felix Ellis said Howlett’s situation was “a different set of circumstances” and accused Labor and the Greens of playing “gotcha politics”.
Ellis said Rockliff had been upfront, had apologised and the state government wanted to “get on with the job”.
“Obviously, there’s parliament next week and this will be more broadly a matter for the parliament. That’s appropriate,” he said.
