Premier Peter Gutwein says nothing untoward in quarantine help for Liberal Party donor

The Premier says the negotiation of quarantine exemptions for hotel construction workers by a major Liberal donor is no scandal.

• Liberal Party failed to declare a $50,000 THA donation
• Government criticised for slow action on donation law reforms

PREMIER Peter Gutwein says there was nothing untoward about the head of a government department helping Liberal Party donors gain quarantine exemptions to bring construction workers into the state.

In a speech at the opening of the Crowne Plaza Hotel project on Wednesday, Tasmanian Hospitality Association chief Steve Old said he helped Kalis Group circumvent trouble getting staff into the state to finish the project on time.

According to those present, he thanked Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment secretary Tim Baker for his assistance in getting the workers exemptions from quarantine regulations.

Mr Baker’s department was not the one handling exemptions, which were the responsibility of the State Controller Darren Hine.

Then Treasurer Peter Gutwein and THA General Manager Steve Old in 2016. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Mr Old later said the project would not have been completed on time otherwise.

“With coronavirus, they had some deals in place with specialist workers coming in from the mainland and they needed to get approval for them to come in, otherwise this job would have been delayed and they probably would have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars,” he said.

“There were no rules broken or anything like that. It was just about probably as much for me having contacts to be able to make sure they got to the right people quickly to get the authorisation either approved or not.

“Hats off to the people involved to make sure we got those workers in safely and we actually got to meet the deadline of opening up on July 1.”

The THA was a major Liberal Party donor in the lead-up to the last state election, with $269,750 in declared contributions. Kalis Hospitality donated $70,000 to the Liberals.

Premier Peter Gutwein and Managing Director Emmanuel Kalis during the opening of the Crowne Plaza Hotel at Hobart. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

Premier Peter Gutwein said there was no scandal.

“I don’t think he indicated that any strings were pulled at all,” he said.

“He contacted DPIPWE which is responsible for biosecurity and the ultimate decision based on that advice is made by the state controller.

“Whilst he raised it, again I don’t think there’s much to see there.

“In terms of what actually occurred, it’s at arm’s length for me, it’s managed by the state controller. It’s a matter for him. He’s made some very difficult decisions through this.

“The first I knew about that matter was when I heard that the exemption had been granted. I had no involvement whatsoever.”

Labor’s Treasury spokesman David O’Byrne said the approval didn’t make sense.

“It does raise a question around equity and probity in this process,” he said.

“We know that there have been thousands of jobs lost in the building construction industry in Tasmania.

“If we’ve got companies flying in workers from the mainland, doing work that could actually be done by locals that’s a real concern.

“But also if it’s who you know not what you know and if they’ve stepped outside the appropriate processes, I think every Tasmanian would have a right to be concerned.” 

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