Labor will push for answers when parliament resumes over text messages sent by state-owned TasRacing promoting a Liberal Party election promise.
But the government says the matter was dealt with last year and has accused Labor of “relentless negativity”.
Shadow attorney-general Ella Haddad said the opposition would continue to probe the matter when parliament returns in March.
“Misuse of government funds is very serious and we’ll continue to prosecute this very serious breach in public and the parliament,” she said.
During last year’s state election campaign, TasRacing sent messages to racing industry participants spruiking the Liberals’ TasInsure policy.
An article promoting TasInsure, which was shared at the time by the racing minister, was also published on TasRacing’s website but has since been deleted.
Minister Eric Abetz on Thursday dismissed Labor’s calls for an investigation.
“It was dealt with in 2025. The chair spoke with the CEO about these matters and it’s been resolved and we move on,” he said.
“That was last year’s stuff and if people want to rehash it, good luck to them.”
Abetz said he did not personally know who was responsible or how TasRacing obtained the information.
“At the end of the day, what do people want? They want a government that doesn’t keep on looking backwards but looking forward,” he said.
Asked whether an investigation had been ruled out, Abetz said that was a matter for Premier Jeremy Rockliff.
Haddad said Labor wrote to the premier a month ago requesting an investigation but had received no response.
“It’s a new year but there’s nothing new about the Liberal Party and how they are approaching serious issues of government integrity,” she said.
She said the government had failed to explain how TasRacing obtained private Liberal Party information.
“What we need to get to the bottom of is how it is that TasRacing, a state-owned and state-funded entity, knew private Liberal Party information at the time of the election campaign,” she said.
TasRacing is a government business enterprise, with shares held by the treasurer and racing minister on behalf of Tasmanians.
The State Service Act requires public sector bodies to operate in an apolitical, ethical and professional manner.
Haddad described the matter as a potential breach of codes of conduct and legislation.
“It isn’t ethical, it isn’t right for taxpayers’ money to be used to spruik the election commitments of any political party,” she said.
“Spend Liberal Party money on spruiking Liberal Party election commitments, just like every other party and candidate spends their own money or fundraisers to promote their political message.”
TasRacing chair Gene Phair has previously told a parliamentary committee he had no knowledge of the text message and ordered it removed once he became aware of it.
Parliament will resume in March.
