Labor will move to restore a clause that would force Tasmanian government ministers to answer questions when they are investigated by the Integrity Commission.
The state government tabled its Integrity Commission Amendment Bill in parliament last week.
But the version tabled left out a clause from the earlier consultation draft that would have removed the privilege against self-incrimination.
That privilege allows people under investigation to refuse to answer questions that could incriminate them.
The bill is meant to implement reforms from the 2016 Cox Review, which made 55 recommendations. Only a handful have been enacted.
“We’re announcing today that when that bill comes on for debate in parliament, we’ll be introducing that section as an amendment to the bill,” Labor MP and shadow attorney-general Ella Haddad said.
“It can’t be a coincidence that the government dropped this from their bill in a week when they’ve got ministers resigning from cabinet amid serious questions of integrity.”
The clause was left out just after two ministers, Jane Howlett and Madeleine Ogilvie, quit cabinet over integrity questions.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff has confirmed both used public money for legal cases linked to Integrity Commission matters.
“It’s a mess that the Liberal Party has made and it does look like a glaring omission,” Haddad said.
Greens MLC Cassy O’Connor backed Labor’s plan, saying the privilege could hinder investigations.
“This privilege allows those being investigated to stay tight-lipped on Integrity Commission questions, essentially frustrating or completely stalling investigations,” she said.
“It doesn’t exist in other states and territories and it shouldn’t exist here.”
Attorney-General Guy Barnett told parliament the privilege was a “fundamental legal principle” that should only be set aside in the most serious cases.
He said consultation feedback showed the change “needs careful scrutiny” and that he had asked his department to examine it further, including through talks with the Integrity Commission.
Barnett said the bill still delivered most of the outstanding Cox Review reforms and was “a significant step in the reform process”.
