Lara Giddings and Robin Gray: Two very different Tasmanian premiers saluted

Tasmania’s first female premier, Lara Giddings, and controversial premier Robin Gray have been honoured with Order of Australia gongs.

Former Tasmanian premier Lara Giddings. Picture: Chris Kidd

Tasmania’s first female premier, Lara Giddings, hopes her Order of Australia will further encourage young women into politics, but has a warning for those considering the move.

Once hailed as Australia’s toughest treasurer, she ­becomes an Officer of the order of Australia “for distinguished service to the people and parliament of Tasmania, and to the community”.

“It is both overwhelming and humbling,” Ms Giddings, Labor premier from 2011-14, said. “I hope that I have helped normalise female leadership in this state and that we will see more ­female premiers in the future. It’d be great to see some more women (in leadership).”

However, the 51-year-old cautioned that her time as premier, making unpopular budget ­reforms while holding together a minority government, was “highly stressful” and that she often had to “run on adrenaline”.

As a reforming health minister from 2006-08, determined to streamline a chaotic health system, Ms Giddings was abused in the streets, once having fire crackers thrown at her feet.

Later, as a budget-slashing treasurer and premier, she was similarly publicly lambasted by angry public servants, health workers and voters over cutbacks.

Ms Giddings, who has been chief executive officer of the Australian Medical Association state branch since 2019, believes her tough love was needed to get the state through the GFC and ­beyond.

“Being a stable government for four years was no mean feat … and being able to do that through the effects of a GFC,” she said.

“The Tasmanian health plan that we launched in 2009 set the foundations for health reform and … I see that health plan still in place in many parts today.

“It was the first time we had looked at the entire health system in Tasmania as one and at population demand and chronic disease, and we started to plan for an ageing population.”

An AO has also been awarded to another ex-Tasmanian premier: Robin Gray, “for distinguished service to the people and parliament of Tasmania, to economic development, and to the agricultural sector”.

The controversial former Liberal leader said he was “proud of the many long-lasting benefits” achieved during his seven years in the top job from 1982 to 1989.

Mr Gray, 84, thanked his wife of 58 years, Judy, and the “many previously Labor voters, who agreed our policies were the best for their state”.

He cited hydro-electric and ­irrigation schemes, as well as the establishment of the TT-Line Bass Strait ferry company, as among key achievements. “My Liberal government ministers and members worked for seven years as a solid united team and I was honored to be their leader,” he said.

However, the award to him of one of the nation’s top civilian honours is controversial, not only due to his role in attempting to dam the Franklin River, which he once dismissed as a “leech-­ridden … ditch”.

In 1988, he was quoted as saying homosexuals were not welcome in Tasmania, causing outrage on both sides of Bass Strait, although he now contests the remark was made as quoted.

A 1991 royal commission into a political bribery attempt found Mr Gray had “full knowledge” of the criminal plan and criticised him for keeping $10,000 cash in donations in freezer bags in his home.

Commissioner William Carter described Mr Gray’s conduct as grossly improper, but not illegal. Mr Gray declined to answer questions about the historic controversies.