[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Governance Package Good Start But Work To Do_N McKim MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

BARTLETT GOVERNANCE PLAN A GOOD START

But Plenty of Work Still to do After Ten Years of Labor Has Wrecked
Tasmania's Democracy

Nick McKim MP
Greens Leader

Tuesday, 19 August 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today described the government's 10-point
governance plan as being a good start, but said that Premier David
Bartlett still has a lot of work to do to regain the confidence of the
Tasmanian community.

Greens Leader Nick McKim MP said that the government's package does
address some key suggestions that the Greens have made, but that there
remain disappointing including a deafening silence on the need to
restore the numbers of MPs to pre-1998 levels, and the need to tighten
public disclosure of donations provisions.

Mr McKim also requested clarity around whether Mr Bartlett actually
supports the creation of a new independent investigative authority given
the ambiguity and inconsistencies in some of his public statements.

"The Greens welcome these proposals, but Mr Bartlett still has a lot
more work to do after ten years of Labor government has all but
destroyed community confidence in governance issues."

"This plan is silent on the nexus between political donors and major
political parties, and the way that the reduction of MP numbers has
impacted on our democracy remains one of Mr Bartlett's most serious
blindspots." 

"However, the silence is deafening when it comes to restoring the
numbers of the Parliament, despite growing awareness within the
community and political commentators, that the cut to numbers has
weakened the ability of the Parliament to function properly."

"Similarly, it is absurd to only introduce a Lobbyist Register without
also addressing the need to tighten our donations disclosure laws."

The Greens have been campaigning over the last decade for reforms to
protect, and enhance Tasmania's democratic systems, and had released the
following components as being necessary:

- The creation of a new independent investigative authority 

- Electoral law reform including improved donations disclosure laws

- Restoring the numbers of MPs to pre-1998 levels 

- A Bill of Rights, 

- A Parliamentary Standards Commissioner
 
- An Integrity Commission, 

- The introduction of Fixed Term Parliaments, 

- Public funding of political parties, 

- Reform of the Freedom of Information Act

- Better protection for whistleblowers; and 

- A legislated Lobbyists Register and a legislated post-ministerial
probity framework.



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