Two Labor MPs were kicked out of Tasmania’s House of Assembly a short time ago during a question time clash over the future of Bell Bay Aluminium.
Deputy Labor leader Janie Finlay was suspended until after lunch just after 11:15am, followed within seconds by Lyons MP Brian Mitchell.
Finlay had asked Premier Jeremy Rockliff when negotiations with Hydro Tasmania would conclude and when he would table the proposal his government had put to Canberra.
She said businesses in northern Tasmania were relying on the smelter and needed certainty.
“We want to do everything possible to secure those jobs and those supply chains,” she said.
Rockliff did not answer either question, instead calling on Labor to change its position and “do a backflip” on advocating to Canberra.
“I promise you that if you change your position, I won’t put out a media release calling it a backflip, because we will welcome that change in position,” he said.
Speaker Jacquie Petrusma twice directed the premier back to the question.
Rockliff then suggested Finlay had urged people to stop chasing the deal.
Finlay said those were the words of a former Liberal candidate and asked for a withdrawal.
“I take personal offence at the disrespect of the premier misquoting me,” she said.
Petrusma ruled it was a misrepresentation under standing order 127 and told Finlay she could correct the record after question time.
Petrusma later warned the deputy leader over her interjections.
“Coming in here and shouting and raising your voice is not an appropriate form of action,” she said.
Finlay interjected again and was suspended. Mitchell was then removed under standing order 149.
The Rio Tinto-owned aluminium smelter employs about 550 people and its power contract expires at the end of December.
The state government has previously said there is a $60 million a year gap between what Rio Tinto wants and what Hydro Tasmania can commercially offer.
