Tasmania’s opposition will push for a parliamentary investigation into whether the Liberal government broke the rules during the 2025 state election campaign.
Labor wants a select committee to scrutinise several decisions, including funding for the Marinus energy project, financial support for TT-Line and government advertising spending.
The inquiry would also examine Tasracing’s role in promoting a Liberal election promise.
Labor MP Ella Haddad said the government had shown a troubling pattern of behaviour.
“There are more integrity failures of this government in the last 12 months than I dare say you’d find anywhere else in the history of Tasmanian governments,” she said.
Haddad took aim at Racing Minister Jane Howlett, pointing to documents released last week that she claims show the minister’s office helped Tasracing promote the Liberal Party’s TasInsure policy.
“She not only misled parliament, she’s continued to mislead parliament, even with her corrections to the record,” Haddad said.
“She isn’t fit to be a minister.”
Labor tried to obtain the documents through official channels but was knocked back.
Haddad said the organisation told her it was not in a position to hand them over.
“That’s really unusual behaviour,” she said.
Greens MLC Cassy O’Connor supports government business enterprises (GBEs) publishing all right-to-information documents after they are released to the applicant.
“While the Liberals have a shifty, shaky record on RTIs, at least government departments are required to publish RTI documents,” she said.
“Why shouldn’t GBEs provide the same transparency?”
Treasurer Eric Abetz rejected suggestions the government had anything to hide.
“We as a government are transparent. Everybody knows that,” he said.
“If they want to set up an inquiry, that’s for them to determine, we will cooperate with it.”
The proposed committee would include four members from across the parliament, including independent Braddon MP Craig Garland.
It would need to deliver its findings by September 1.
