Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff supports change to Australia Day

Premier Jeremy Rockliff has thrown his support behind a change to date of Australia Day. Join the debate >>>

Premier Jeremy Rockliff says he supports changing the date of Australia Day.

In response to a question from Franklin MP David O’Byrne in state parliament on Wednesday, Mr Rockliff said his position on the national day was the same as his predecessor.

Former premier Peter Gutwein called for “a national conversation”, saying the current date was divisive.

“Australia Day is a national conversation and one that I am increasingly concerned is becoming increasingly divisive,” Mr Rockliff said. “By nature, I am not a divisive person, and bringing people together, Aboriginal people from Tasmania, and all Tasmanians to unite and celebrate Australia Day, on a day that we can all unite, is a clear objective of mine.

“In the meantime, I say that I am deeply committed to delivering an Aboriginal-led treaty and truth telling pathway started by the previous premier, Mr Gutwein.

“We recognise the national day is a day that needs to be facilitated and discussed at a Commonwealth level.”

Premier Jeremy Rockliff. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Mr O’Byrne called on Mr Rockliff to make his personal position party policy.

“More and more Tasmanians are feeling uncomfortable about celebrating Australia Day on the 26th of January, as this date is a date of great pain for First Nations people,” Mr O’Byrne said.

“I welcome the Premier’s support for changing the date of Australia Day. His recognition of this issue is a positive first step. But now that he has outlined his support for changing the date, the onus is now on the Premier to take steps towards enacting this important change”

Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre campaign manager Nala Mansell welcomed Mr Rockliff’s comments and called for him to back them with action.

“We support the Premier’s announcement this morning and congratulate him on making it a clear objective of his to have the Invasion Day celebrations changed to a date everyone can participate.

“It compounds the view of his predecessor and we are glad to hear it is something he is committed to.

“While it is a national conversation, the Tasmanian government can act now to move all of its official celebrations away from January 26.

“Now is an opportunity for Tasmania to lead the way across the country by changing all of their official celebrations to any date other than January 26.”

How Tassie’s new donation laws compare to other states

Long-awaited laws requiring political parties to disclose more information about the donations they receive have been tabled in state parliament.

Under current rules, the source of the vast bulk of donations to Tasmanian political parties remain secret because parties are only required to disclose the source amounts of more than $13,800.

Two Bills tabled in parliament on Tuesday include provisions that require the disclosure of all political donations over $5000 received by a candidate or political party within seven days during an election campaign, or every six months otherwise.

They also provide for reimbursement of election spending for candidates who receive more than 4 per cent of the vote in House of Assembly elections – at the rate of $6 per first preference vote.

The 2018 state election was campaign a matter of considerable public debate after the Liberals benefited an influx of funding from the pokies lobby, allowing the party to outspend its Labor rivals by more than three to one.

In a joint statement, Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Attorney-General Elise Archer said the legislation was intended to deliver fairer elections.

“This fulfils another important commitment of our government and will increase transparency, while ensuring that the public continues to have confidence in the outcomes of elections into the future.

Attorney-General Elise Archer. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“It will provide for the disclosure of political donations, reporting of electoral expenditure and public funding at an appropriate level for both administrative and ‘per vote’ funding.

‘Importantly, it will also bring Tasmania in line with other jurisdictions which have state-based requirements for the disclosure of political donations and expenditure.

Greens Leader Cassy O’Connor said if the Bills were passed without amendment, Tasmania would still have weakest donations laws in the country.

“Four years after gambling interests bought the election for the Liberals, new donations disclosure and electoral laws were tabled in parliament today,” she said.

“We’re at the bottom of the table nationally now, and we’ll stay there if these laws pass parliament unamended.

“At $5000, the Bill introduces the equal highest disclosure threshold of any state or territory.

“It provides no expenditure cap, no third party donation limits, and a ban only on foreign donations which are prohibited under Commonwealth law anyway.

“Critically there are no bans on donations from developers, corporations and other vested interests.’

Labor’s shadow Attorney-General Ella Haddad welcomed the move as a step towards a level playing field but said her party would be going through the Bills carefully.

“Since the beginning of time Tasmania has had the worst political donation laws in the country, they are practically non-existent,” she said.

“We don’t have any transparency, any accountability.

‘We’ve pushed the government kicking and screaming to this point and it’s actually a really positive thing that the government has today tabled legislation.”

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