Tasmania’s House of Assembly ignores upper house push for a new coronavirus inquiry

The government has ignored a message from the Legislative Council to appoint a joint select parliamentary committee to inquire into the state’s immediate and ongoing response to coronavirus.

The upper house on Wednesday night supported Nelson independent Meg Webb’s motion for an inquiry to be held, seven votes to five.

Premier Peter Gutwein on Thursday moved a motion for an inquiry not to be held.

The votes were split between government members and opposition parties including Clark independent Madeleine Ogilvie.

Speaker Sue Hickey used her casting vote to support the government’s motion.

In arguing against the inquiry, Mr Gutwein said he considered it unnecessary due to inquiries underway by the Subordinate Legislation Committee and the Public Accounts Committee.

“Both of those committees have all of the necessary mechanisms available to them,” he said.

“In terms of COVID-19, the Public Accounts Committee has broad-ranging powers.

“To argue that there is a need for a third committee, over and above the two that are in place … I think is quite frankly is driven by politics.”

Labor leader Rebecca White said the two standing committees were not undertaking their work in full view of the public nor could submissions from the general public be received.

She said a new inquiry would not just be able the government’s response but what was happening across the state more broadly – particularly concerning families and businesses.

Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said the parliamentary winter break presented an opportunity to hear from ordinary Tasmanians through submissions to a new inquiry.

She said the new inquiry would allow for a solid plan to be formed, based on advice from health and medical professionals, to deal with a second or third outbreak should they occur.

Nelson independent Meg Webb said the government’s actions had resulted in a missed opportunity to capture all measures, good and bad, applied to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Today saw the Tasmanian Government hide behind parliamentary procedure to thwart the will of the Parliament as expressed by the overall majority vote 18 to 17,” she said.

“To those who argue how much scrutiny is too much, I say the actual question which needs asking is how much transparency is too much?”