The Liberal Party is disputing whether Labor’s Jessica Munday can run in the upcoming Tasmanian state election, claiming her position on the WorkCover Tasmania board makes her constitutionally ineligible.
The challenge centres on whether Munday’s role amounts to an “office of profit under the Crown”, which would disqualify her from sitting in parliament under the state’s Constitution Act.
Liberal candidate for Franklin Eric Abetz said Munday was ineligible because she was appointed to the WorkCover board by the Governor, setting her apart from ordinary public servants.
“The legal situation is that Jessica Munday on the WorkCover board was actually appointed by Her Excellency the Governor. Our teachers aren’t appointed by the Governor,” Abetz said.
“People I think who understand the Constitution know there’s a big difference between being a public servant per se and having been specifically appointed by Her Excellency the Governor to a specific role under the Crown.”
Labor leader Dean Winter dismissed the challenge as a political stunt and defended Munday’s eligibility and credentials.
“We are absolutely sure that she’s eligible and more importantly we are absolutely sure that she’s the right person in Franklin,” Winter said.
“We’re in an election campaign and so there’s Eric Abetz going and attacking a progressive, talented, professional woman like this.”
Labor argues that constitutional changes made in 1944 allow public servants and similar office holders to stand for election and that Munday’s workplace safety role doesn’t make her ineligible.
Winter said Munday was “a fantastic candidate” whom he personally recruited to contest Franklin alongside himself and five other Labor hopefuls.
Abetz said the issue would ultimately be settled by Tasmania’s Supreme Court.
