[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Apr27_Bartlett Must Act on Anti-Corruption Body_PPutt

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

BARTLETT'S INTEREST IN ANTI-CORRUPTION BODY WELCOMED
But Will He Take Action, or Is It All Hot Air?
Peg Putt MP
Tasmanian Greens Opposition Leader
Sunday, 27 April 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300
www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today welcomed Deputy Premier David Bartlett's
departure from Premier Paul Lennon's hard line opposition to an
anti-corruption body, and stepped up the pressure on Mr Bartlett to act
on his admission that he is 'very interested' in the creation of such a
body in Tasmania. (Weekend Australian, p11)

Greens Opposition Leader Peg Putt MP said Mr Bartlett's repudiation of
Paul Lennon's stance was a significant development on what has become an
increasingly important issue, and that he must now follow through on his
interest by supporting moves for a Parliamentary investigation of the
best model for such a body.

Ms Putt pointed out that in the many Parliamentary debates thus far on
an ICAC-style body all participants had expressed that a Tasmanian model
could not be expected to be of the size of the NSW ICAC but would need
to be scaled down to suit Tasmania's situation - so Mr Bartlett's
similar reservation was simply in line with views expressed by both
opposition parties.

"David Bartlett has broken ranks from Paul Lennon's hard line opposition
to the creation of an anti-corruption body in Tasmania, and now he must
exhibit the courage of his convictions and act to ensure we get cracking
on sorting out the best model for such a body to be established in
Tasmania," Ms Putt said.

"This recognition by the new Deputy Premier is welcome because Tasmania
does need an independent watchdog that would investigate corruption
claims and educate politicians and other senior players in public life
on ethics, but he has to do something about it or he will have
exacerbated the situation by making it plain that all is not well and
then doing nothing."

"This is an important test of the fibre of the man who would like to be
Premier one day, and whether he is prepared to take action to lift
standards of governance or not."

"The fact that Mr Bartlett doesn't want to replicate the NSW ICAC, but
believes that a smaller body designed to suit Tasmania is warranted, is
no impediment as this is exactly the position that has been espoused in
Parliament by the Greens and the Liberals."

"We just need to get on and create it, using a Parliamentary Committee
to come up with the most suitable model," Ms Putt concluded.