‘Possible political pressure’ to have Justice Gregory Geason quit, Tasmanian Parliament hears

Text messages leaked to The Australian raise ‘serious questions’ about whether political pressure was applied to secure the resignation of a judge, Tasmania’s parliament has heard.

Tasmanian Supreme Court judge Gregory Geason. Picture: Sam Rosewarne

Text messages leaked to The Australian raise “serious questions” about whether political pressure was applied to try to secure the resignation of a judge, Tasmania’s parliament has heard.

A majority of state lower house MPs on Tuesday voted to suspend parliamentary business to debate the creation of an inquiry into whether political interference has occurred concerning Justice Gregory Geason.

The Liberal minority government used its numbers to deny the motion the two-thirds majority required but the Labor opposition vowed to pursue it again when parliament next sits and a simple majority only will apply.

Justice Geason has pleaded not guilty to one charge of assault and one of emotional abuse or intimidation and has undertaken not to hear matters until the criminal proceedings have concluded.

The government had recalled parliament to pass a motion to ask the Governor to suspend Justice Geason but constitutional doubts about the move, and about the need for it, failed to persuade MPs and the government dropped it.

Opposition leader Rebecca White told parliament the select committee would determine how journalists came to be excluded from Justice Geason’s appearance in the Magistrates Court on December 1.

Ms White said it would also consider text messages leaked to The Australian suggesting Chief Justice Alan Blow talked with Attorney-General Guy Barnett before suggesting to Justice Geason that his resignation was “one option” before parliamentary action “goes further”.

“There have been text messages leaked to The Australian newspaper which raise a number of serious questions about whether or not there was political interference … (or) pressure applied to seek the resignation of Justice Geason, to avoid the parliament needing to be recalled,” Ms White told the House of Assembly.

The inquiry would also examine Justice Geason’s appointment by the government in 2017, with parliament hearing claims Mr Geason had not been on a list of preferred candidates and had been best man at the wedding of then-Premier Will Hodgman.

The suspension of standing orders to allow the motion to be debated was backed by a majority of MPs, with support from Greens and independents, but fell short of the two-thirds majority required.

Mr Barnett accused Labor of “politicising” the issue with “dreadful accusations”, rejected government involvement in the media court ban and defended his own actions throughout.

“I have been motivated by preserving and protecting the reputation of the court and the confidence of the public in the judiciary,” Mr Barnett said.

Chief Justice Blow has declined to comment on the text message and the nature of any conversation he had with Mr Barnett before suggesting the resignation option to Justice Geason.

MPs were on Tuesday briefed on solicitor general advice that there was a valid constitutional basis for the motion to suspend the judge, based on royal prerogative.

But an opinion circulated by Justice Geason’s lawyers concludes the motion would be unconstitutional and Mr Barnett dropped the motion, citing the risk of High Court challenge and in light of Justice Geason’s undertaking not to work while the criminal proceedings are afoot.