Premier says Labor is picking on the Lambies

Labor has been accused of “bullying” new Jacqui Lambie Network MPs as questions arose over their commitment to back government budget bills.

Rebekah Pentland of the Jacqui Lambie Network. Parliament Question Time. Picture: Chris Kidd

Labor has been accused of “bullying” new Jacqui Lambie Network MPs as questions arose over their commitment to back government budget bills.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said he was unperturbed by comments by JLN Bass MP Rebekah Pentland reported by the Australian that her party’s guarantee of supply did not ­extend to every budget item.

“No – absolutely not; we will scrutinise the budget,” she was quoted as saying.

Mr Rockliff said he was impressed by the MPs, upon which his government’s survival depends, and not impressed by the Labor opposition.

“We’ve got a good working relationship with the JLN,” he said.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff. Parliament Question Time. Picture: Chris Kidd

“I respect the JLN as individuals and as a team and I admire them for wanting to not only represent their constituents but also to bring stability and certainty to the Tasmanian parliament.

“What I’m disappointed with is the Labor Party bullying of the JLN and the Labor Party not wanting certainty and stability because that somehow suits their interests.

“Well, it doesn’t serve the Tasmanian people’s interests, the Tasmanian people want this parliament to work, it is functioning well.”

Opposition leader Dean Winter said the government’s deal with the Lambie was looking shaky.

“The Jacqui Lambie network signed a coalition agreement with the Liberals and now they appear to be walking away from Jeremy Rockliff and his government,” he said.

“This is a Lambie-Liberal government they have signed a confidence and supply agreement and now frankly, they appear to be walking away from it.

Labor leader Dean Winter.

“It seems like every day the Jacqui Lambie network is undermining its own agreement with the Liberals.

“They signed up to the first thing they do it when they got into parliament was to sign up to this deal, to this coalition agreement with the Liberal Party and now they’re trying to walk away from it before it’s even finished.

“They’ve already announced that they want to try and rip it up in March next year. They’ve already announced that they don’t like their own deal.”

Labor on Friday also alleged a third April 2022 an additional, secret payment of €8m — nearly $13m was agreed to by TT-Line, with the prior knowledge of the Treasurer Michael Ferguson.

“Not only did Michael Ferguson hide this eight-figure extra payment from Tasmanian taxpayers, he also appears to have misled a Government Business Estimates hearing six months later,” he said.

‘He told that hearing that “the contract … is a fixed-price contract.”

Minister for Business, Industry and Resources Eric Abetz said Mr Winter has made an “stunning stuff up” by getting the number of secret payments wrong.

“Before anyone can take Mr Winter’s latest attempted attack on TT-Line seriously, he needs to enumerate the ‘three’ payments about which he complains.

“He has only listed two.”