Premier Jeremy Rockliff has defended outgoing Leader of Government Business Leonie Hiscutt after she endorsed her son, Casey, as an independent candidate in the May election.
Hiscutt is stepping down as a Legislative Council member and supporting Casey as he makes an attempt to replace her, a move reported to violate party rules.
Speaking on Thursday, Rockliff said he expects Hiscutt to support her family, just as he would do the same.
“I’ve known Leonie for almost 30 years. Leonie has been and continues to be, a very hard-working member of Parliament,” he said.
“Leonie’s been an outstanding leader in the Legislative Council and I would expect Leonie to support her son being a candidate.”
“I would support my three daughters, if they wanted to go into politics, absolutely 100%.”
Hiscutt has held the north-west coast seat of Montgomery for 12 years. The Liberals have chosen Stephen Parry to replace her.
Rockliff said Labor leader Dean Winter and MP Josh Willie had exploited Hiscutt’s exit through what was a “nasty” attack.
“Attacking a mother who simply wants to support her son running as a candidate … just highlights how toxic, how negative, how nasty the Labor Party not only have become,” he said.
“The Labor Party has not changed. They’re as nasty and toxic as they’ve ever been. In fact, they are worse under Dean Winter’s nasty, negative and toxic leadership.”
“I’ve been a member of Parliament for over two decades, 23 years in July and I’ve stayed away from the personal, nasty attacks for all of that time.”
In response to the Premier’s comments, Willie said “not once” has Labor attacked Hiscutt’s “right to support her son” and wished them luck.
“We have simply pointed out the fact that a Premier who meekly watches on as his own Leader of Government Business campaigns against him is a weak leader,” he said.
“Under the Liberal party rules, Ms Hiscutt should no longer be a member of the party.”
“And it’s not just Labor saying it. The Premier would do well to remember it was members of his own party who raised their concerns … and he surely hasn’t forgotten the scathing comments made by Eric Abetz’ right hand man, Brendan Blomeley.”
