Premier continues attack on ‘radical’ independents, ruling out support
Premier Jeremy Rockliff has ruled out accepting the support of the Greens to form government if the Liberal Party does not win a majority at Saturday’s election.
Tasmania
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Premier Jeremy Rockliff has ruled out accepting the support of the Greens to form government if the Liberal Party does not win a majority at Saturday’s election.
Announcing a $12.5m boost for local basketball facilities on Thursday, Mr Rockliff doubled down on his attacks on independents, saying: “a Labor, Green, radical-independent government will be bad for Tasmania”.
He ruled out accepting support from the Greens to form government on the floor of parliament.
“There is a lot of light between what the Greens stand for and the Tasmanian Liberal Party, particularly when it comes to our key resource-based industries,” he said.
“The real danger is that Labor, the Greens and radical independents, could form government at the beginning of next week that will put at risk the lowest unemployment on record, a growing economy and decimate business confidence.
“The Greens and the Labor Party united in a no-confidence motion, which forced us to an election.
“What we have demonstrated in the last parliament is that we are willing to work across the chamber with key independents, sensible independents, with a broader view of the world.”
Prior to last year’s state election, the Liberals condemned the Jacqui Lambie Network as being “anti-job, anti-salmon, anti-wind farm and anti forestry” — but ended up doing a deal with the party’s three elected members to form government.
One of those MPs, Lambie network member, now Nationals candidate Andrew Jenner, backed the no confidence motion which prompted the Saturday’s election.
Liberal MP Felix Ellis continued his attack on independents saying he felt they could get in the way of Tasmania’s traditional industries.
“Radical left-wing independents will destroy our economy, destroy jobs and take our State backwards,” he said.
“They want to end our traditional industries like building, agriculture, aquaculture, forestry and manufacturing.”
Mr Rockliff announced on Thursday a re-elected Liberal Government would partner with the Hobart City Council to invest $12.5 million to build a brand-new, purpose-built basketball court facility at New Town Bay in Hobart’s northern suburbs.
Labor’s Josh Willie accused the government of pork-barrelling.
“Rockliff has already spent hundreds and hundreds of millions this campaign in a blatant attempt to buy votes, and it’s widely speculated we’ll see more of his chequebook in the next 24 hours,” he said.
“The Liberals have been in government for 11 years. Why is it only in the final week of an election campaign that issues get any attention?”
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