Jacqui Lambie Network MPs demand bolstered FOI and anti-corruption body

Jacqui Lambie Network MPs have offered confidence and supply to Tasmania’s minority Liberal government, in exchange for ‘accountability and transparency’ measures.

Jacqui Lambie Network MPs have offered confidence and supply to Tasmania’s minority Liberal government, in exchange for “accountability and transparency” measures, potentially including a stronger anti-corruption body and bolstered right to information.

The decision means the Rockliff Liberal government, which won only 14 of the House of Assembly’s 35 seats at the March 23 state election, needs the support of just one of the three independents to form government.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff is understood to be in discussions with David O’Byrne – who wants health and housing funding – and Craig Garland, who wants tighter fishing regulation and political donations reform.

The third independent, Kristie Johnston, has ruled out a deal, but could be put forward as Speaker.

Holding their first press conference since being elected in last week’s preference cut up, the three JLN MPs – all new to state parliament – said they would vote as a bloc and may seek policy outcomes in return for backing legislation.

“Our first goal is to make sure that this government works,” said Andrew Jenner, JLN MP for Lyons and a former English Tory mayor. “We’re not here to … break it up.

“We want to make it transparent and accountable, but we want to be able to work with Jeremy Rockliff’s government – for Tasmanians. They don’t want it to break down again and have to go back to another election.”

The three were still discussing which accountability and transparency measures they wanted. However, Mr Jenner said he wanted to see a stronger state anti-corruption body and a more responsible, better funded right to information system.

Braddon MP Miriam Beswick said she also wanted tougher political donations disclosure.

The trio are demanding an unrestricted Treasury briefing to get a better understanding of the state’s finances, amid alarm from some economists and MPs about the level of state debt and spending.

They were not seeking policy outcomes in return for confidence and supply, but may seek them in return for supporting legislation.

“There will be times when we will be asking for our own agendas and things that we feel our important to the Tasmanian public,” Mr Jenner said.

The written offer of supply and confidence, likely to be signed and released within days, would be subject to 12 monthly review.

JLN Bass MP Rebekah Pentland said the trio supported an AFL team for Tasmania but the deal delivering it – and plans for a new Hobart stadium – “needs to be a win, win for the AFL and Tasmanian people”.

Mr Jenner said the stadium, which requires parliamentary approval, had been “divisive”, but hinted the trio may back a compromise.

“We want to get something up and running but … we don’t know what it’s going to cost the public and they’ll … be paying for it for generations if it goes wrong,” he said.

All promised to remain members of the JLN for the term of the parliament, although Ms Beswick said this was “the plan at this stage”.

They were seeking parliamentary funding as a party, but had not yet decided who would be their leader, or if they would have one.

Ms Beswick said they would not support Liberal plans to open a further 40,000ha of native forests for logging and wanted to make salmon farming “sustainable”.

Mr Jenner suggested the JLN would not support the proposed Marinus Link cable – to export more power from Tasmania to Victoria – unless it could be shown to be in Tasmanians’ interests.