Rogue Liberal-turned-Independent MPs who were just last week holding the state “to ransom” haven’t yet forced an election, Tasmania’s Premier says.
Jeremy Rockliff met with his two former colleagues John Tucker and Lara Alexander on Friday afternoon, providing them with what he said was an “opportunity for them to put forward their position”.
“I will now take the appropriate time to consider and to consult with my colleagues,” Rockliff said shortly after the meeting.
“This is an important matter, Tasmanians need stability and certainty and I am focussed on delivering that.”
Rockliff called the meeting to discuss a more restrictive agreement with the pair when it comes to their support for the state government and other parties in parliament.
The new agreement would prevent Tucker and Alexander from supporting independent bills, motions or amendments in parliament, but both the independents say they want to stick to the original agreement made last year.
On Thursday afternoon, Tucker put the Premier on blast at a press conference in Launceston and said he would “never, ever sign up to be handcuffed, muzzled and sidelined from any meaningful contribution to the Parliament”.
“It is the Premier who has breached the spirit of our agreement, with his confirmation that he intends to pursue his AFL project regardless of the outcome of Parliamentary consideration of the stadium,” he said.
“[The state government] is thumbing its nose at majority decisions of the Parliament – first on action to prevent animal cruelty in abattoirs and on the AFL deal, where the Premier has announced he intends to proceed with work in advance of Parliament’s consideration of the stadium.”
