Labor leader accused JLN MPs of going back on pledge to hold government to account

Labor leader Dean Winter has launched a broadside at the Jacqui Lambie Network — accusing the party of having abandoned its election pledge of holding the government to account.

Labor leader Dean Winter speaks to the media at Parliament Square in Hobart on Tuesday 18 June, 2024.

Labor leader Dean Winter has launched a broadside at the Jacqui Lambie Network — accusing the party of having abandoned its election pledge of holding the government to account.

Mr Winter said the deal struck by the party’s three MPs to back the government’s budget bills meant they would have to shoulder the blame for locking in health cuts.

“The concern that I’ve got around their agreement is that they’re not doing what they promised Tasmania’s they would do and that is hold this government to account,” Mr Winter said.

“The Jacqui Lambie Network has provided supply and confidence to the Liberal government and now they are just as much a part of this government as the Liberals are.

“They have teamed up together and so they need to take responsibility for what’s going on.

“They promised to be the party of transparency and accountability and instead they just appear to be toeing the Liberal Party line.”

Andrew Jenner Lambie Network member for Lyons. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Responding to shots fired from Labor, Lambie Network MP Andrew Jenner said: “Oh give me a break. Saul Eslake is already reviewing the state of the budget, Dr Nicholas Gruen is doing the review of the business case for the stadium and both these reports will be released in full to the Tasmanian people.

“The fact that the Labor leader can accuse others of a lack of transparency, with a straight face - when they have flipped on pokies, donation reform and the stadium, just beggars belief.

“This sort of cheap political bullying is part of the reason so many Tasmanians have moved away from the major parties. Tasmanians expect better from their politicians.”

Tasmanian Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff speaks to the media on Parliament Lawns in Hobart on Tuesday June 18, 2024.

Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said if Lambie Network members were unhappy, they could use their influence to change outcomes.

“They’ve made an agreement with the Liberal government and clearly the Liberal government is going to go in and cut across the whole of health, cuts to a department that has to have been massive increases into it in order just to keep pace with the burden of health need in the community that’s not met at the moment,” she said.

“The JLN are in a place where they should be exerting real pressure on the government because it is thanks to them that budgets will pass, and that the money should be flowing into the health system.”

.