[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Bartlett Governance Package Needs Substance_N McKim MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

BARTLETT PACKAGE MUST INCLUDE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIVE AUTHORITY

And Restoration of MPs Numbers

Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader

Monday, 18 August 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today said that the governance package flagged by
Premier David Bartlett for announcement in the House of Assembly
tomorrow must contain a commitment to a new independent investigative
authority, electoral law reform including improved donations disclosure
laws, and restoring the numbers of MPs to pre-1998 levels.

Greens Leader Nick McKim MP also said that he would be disappointed if
Mr Bartlett acted in any way to sideline the Joint House Select
Committee currently inquiring into similar issues. 

"Mr Bartlett's decision to have Tasmania Police investigate themselves
has exposed a gaping void in Tasmania's investigative framework, and any
package announced by the government which does not address this problem
will be deemed a failure by the Tasmanian community."

"Creating a new independent investigative body and restoring the numbers
of MPs in the House of Assembly should be a no-brainer for anyone
wanting to improve Tasmania's democracy and governance."

"If the Premier is the democratist he claims to be, surely he can admit
that MPs numbers need to be restored, our investigative structures need
improving, and that the link between political donors and major parties
needs to be exposed and broken."

 "The crisis of confidence in Tasmania's governance cannot be addressed
by band-aid measures when any reasonable person can see that major
surgery is required."

Mr McKim said that other measures which Mr Bartlett must include in any
package include a Bill of Rights, a Parliamentary Standards
Commissioner, the introduction of Fixed Term Parliaments, public funding
of political parties, improved access to government information and
better protection for whistleblowers, as well as create a Lobbyists
Register and a post-ministerial probity framework.



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