The Tasmanian Government has abandoned plans for an independent review of the state’s Integrity Commission.
The decision follows legal advice that identified a potential “conflict” with the Joint Standing Committee on Integrity.
The review was a key component of the confidence and stability agreement the government had established with the original Jacqui Lambie Network (JLN) in April last year.
The JLN collapsed soon after, when MPs Miriam Beswick and Rebekah Pentland were expelled from the party, leaving Andrew Jenner as its sole remaining representative.
Jenner has since torn up his agreement with the state government, this week saying it “is now clear that it was not worth the paper it was written on”.
“It is clear that, had I entered into a new confidence and supply agreement, it would have been wholly one sided,” he said.
“The reasons given by the government for not undertaking an independent review don’t stack up.”
“The bigger question is, what is [Premier Jeremy Rockliff] and his government trying to hide?”
Beswick and Pentland, who reached a new agreement with the state government as independents, said they were disappointed but accepted the rationale behind the decision not to proceed with the review.
“Strengthening Tasmania’s Integrity Commission remains a key objective and I hope the Joint Standing Committee on Integrity continues to pursue reform,” Beswick said.
