Labor to use snap Parliament recall to probe Guy Barnett over links to $1.2m distillery grant

Labor will use Tuesday’s snap return to Parliament to call for an inquiry into any involvement Guy Barnett had in the granting of a $1.2 million grant to a Derwent Valley distillery.

Dean Winter wants answers from Minister Guy Barnett over a $1.2 grant to the New Norfolk Distillery. Picture: David Killick

Labor will use the opportunity of Tuesday’s snap return to Parliament to call for an inquiry into what the Opposition claims is Attorney-General Guy Barnett’s involvement in the granting of a $1.2 million grant to a Derwent Valley distillery.

Leader of Opposition Business in the House, Dean Winter, said that the Government’s recall of Parliament to deal with the employment status of under-siege Supreme Court judge Justice Gregory Geason was also the chance to seek answers from a minister whose reputation for transparency had again been called into question.

And Mr Winter indicated that crossbench liberal rebels John Tucker and Lara Alexander could hold the key to any inquiry going ahead.

“Guy Barnett has made a serious mess of the Geason matter, but there’s also the issue of the New Norfolk Distillery and the $1.2 million that was offered as a grant to that business,” Mr Winter said.

Minister Guy Barnett. Question time in the Tasmanian parliament. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“Guy Barnett has some seriously close links with the business, and during Parliamentary Estimates earlier this year said that he had nothing to do with either the grant or the loan offer to that business.

“But we know that he did have something to do with this, because we have it under RTI.

“What we’ll be asking the Parliament to do is to support an inquiry into this matter, and why this particular business was offered $1.2 million outside of any known grants scheme, and outside any due process.”

Mr Winter said an email from a State Growth staff member revealed concerns about the inappropriateness of Minister Barnett’s office asking for “positive consideration” of financial support to the distillery.

Mr Winter said Labor would be looking to the crossbench to help get any vote on an inquiry over the line.

“We’re hoping that John Tucker and Lara Alexander are open-minded to interrogate these things,” he said.

Dean Winter speaks to the media on Parliament Lawns in Hobart on Wednesday, November 22, 2023.

“One of the reasons that they left the Liberal Party was because of a lack of transparency.

“Well, here’s the opportunity to get the transparency that they have been looking for.”

Mr Winter said Labor had sought legal advice ahead of Tuesday’s sitting amid concerns that a vote to potentially suspend Justice Geason could be unconstitutional.

Mr Winter said that it appeared the Government had put forward a motion without first seeking constitutional advice, and that Labor were therefore unsure what would unfold when Parliament resumes.

But he admitted that dealing with the issue of Justice Geason was an urgent one for the Tasmanian justice system.

“I think there’s a community expectation that people with these sort of allegations are stood down their role,” Mr Winter said.

“We have been supportive of a suspension because of that reason, but we also need to make sure that it is constitutional, and that’s why we are seeking our own advice.”

Mr Barnett said that as the local Member for Lyons, he regularly advocated for local businesses in his electorate.

“The letter from New Norfolk Distillery was referred to the Minister for State Growth, which was the appropriate thing to do,” Mr Barnett said.

“As I said in Estimates, I had no involvement as Minister for State Development, nor did my office.”