Premier apologises for staffer cancelling function after restaurant owner appeared at ALP press conference
The government has apologised to a Launceston restaurant owner after a Liberal staffer cancelled a footy function because the owner spoke at a Labor press conference.
Tasmania
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The Premier and a senior minister have apologised to a Launceston restaurant owner after a Liberal staffer cancelled a football function because the owner spoke at a Labor press conference.
The government canned a dinner with the Hawthorn Football Club scheduled for the Mudbar in Launceston on August 23 after owner Don Cameron stood beside Labor leader Dean Winter to talk about the Spirit of Tasmania ferries debacle the day before.
Minister for Sport and Events Nic Street — who told Budget Estimates hearings said he didn’t know the reason for the cancellation — said he does not believe he misled parliament.
In state parliament on Thursday, Premier Jeremy Rockliff apologised for what he described as an “unfortunate set of circumstances”.
“I am advised that following a media report, a staff member in the minister’s office sought to alter a restaurant reservation that was made through a third party with a view that it would be uncomfortable for the minister,” he said.
“To be clear, the minister did not instruct this to happen.
“It became clear into the evening that the decision had caused issues for Mr Cameron and the next morning the minister’s office requested the reservation be reinstated.
“We apologise for any issues that were created for Mr Cameron, and the minister will be passing on that apology directly, as I understand it.
“I apologise to Mr Cameron for the circumstances of which we are now talking and certainly, from my point of view, were totally unacceptable.”
Mr Street said he was heading to Launceston on Monday night to dine at the Mudbar and would apologise in person then.
“That booking was made more than a week ago so that I can apologise to Mr Cameron in person,” he said.
“It was an error in judgment from my office to cancel the booking.
“My error in judgment is that, when I was told on Thursday night as I was leaving work, I did not seek to have that reversed automatically.”
“If the answers that I gave have caused any confusion, I will come back and correct the record, Mr Winter, but I do not believe that I misled Estimates.”
Labor’s Luke Edmunds said the handling of the matter was hard to fathom and if Mr Street has known of the cancellation on Thursday August 22, he should have volunteered that information in Estimate.
“It was confirmed in question time that the Liberal government punished a local restaurant for supporting Labor policy at a media appearance,” he said.
“Minister Steet’s office cancelled a major function set to be held at Mudbar Restaurant after the owner was seen standing with the Labor Party in the media that day. The dinner was due to be held less than 24 hours later and left the owner with no chance to re-book.
“After hearing a business owner pour their heart out about the most difficult conditions they’ve faced in 40 years, the Government’s first instinct was to damage Mudbar’s business.”
Originally published as Premier apologises for staffer cancelling function after restaurant owner appeared at ALP press conference
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