Media Release: Independent Police Oversight Authority and Democracy Reforms Needed

Independent Police Oversight and Democracy Reforms Called For

21 May 2024

Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb today called for the establishment of an Independent Police Oversight Authority and the introduction of fixed four-year elections among other democracy and social justice reforms.

Ms Webb – in her formal parliamentary Governor’s address-in-reply speech – also used the opportunity to raise concerns over the absence of any mention of Reconciliation with the Tasmanian Aboriginal community within the Government’s priorities included in the Governor’s speech.

“The failure to provide any plan forward on reconciliation, Truth-telling and Treaty in the new Rockliff minority Government’s priority agenda was a shocking silence that spoke volumes,” Ms Webb said.

“Many in the new parliament are committed to pursuing Truth-telling and Treaty with Aboriginal Tasmanians and I urge the Premier to embrace that opportunity and act on this important area of unfinished business.

“I am also calling for the new parliament to take the initiative and establish an Independent Police Oversight Authority.

“By nature of their function, police forces wield considerable authority and power, and therefore it is in the public interest for the use, or potential abuse, of such powers to be subject to independent oversight.

“Current internal complaints processes and the minimal oversight provided by the integrity Commission of those processes, is perceived by many Tasmanians as little more than self-regulation.  This undermines public confidence in our police force, does not meet modern community expectations of robust transparency, and basically fails the pub test.”

Ms Webb raised a range of additional priority reforms in her speech, including:

• Prioritisation of Commission of Inquiry Answers

“The government cannot continue gaslighting Tasmania’s victims and survivors by telling them to move on without providing the many significant answers still denied.

“Answers, transparency and accountability form the foundations required before healing can truly begin. Surely, Tasmanian victims, survivors and their supporters deserve that?”

• The reinstatement of a dedicated Climate Change Minister

“I do not understand the Rockliff government’s apparent ostrich head-in-sand approach to the climate change emergency.

“Somebody needs to tell the ostrich that the seas are rising and that sandbank may not be there for much longer. A good place to start would be the immediate reinstatement of a dedicated Climate Change Minister.”

• Introduce Fixed Four-Year Terms for the Assembly

“Tasmania is the only state without fixed four-year terms for the Lower House.  It is time we caught up.

“Fixed four-year terms would promote certainty, support longer-term policy development, and remove the advantage that governments have in choosing an election date that will best suit their party’s election prospects.”

• Comprehensive reform of the new Electoral Disclosures and Funding laws

“We must now invest in overhauling and strengthening last years flawed and rushed political donations disclosures laws, including lowering the disclosure threshold, introduce donations and expenditure caps and truth-in-advertising laws.

“The inequity of public funding provided across both the Upper and Lower Houses must also be addressed.”

• Independent Review of the Integrity Commission

“We have seen growing disquiet regarding the effectiveness – or otherwise – of the Integrity Commission’s capacity to deliver on community expectations.

“These concerns are not just going to go away.  It is time for an independent and comprehensive review of the Integrity Commission’s current legal framework and whether it is fit for purpose.”

• Tasmanian Human Rights Act

“For the second time the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute has recommended Tasmania legislates a Human Rights Act. There is no further excuse for failing to implement this recommendation and I call on the Rockliff government to prioritise this necessary reform.

“We also need the long-awaited promised ban on conversion practices as a matter of urgency.”

• Tax Reform

“It is a nonsense for the government to claim to have a 2030 strong plan for our state, when such a plan appears completely devoid of thorough structural reform of state taxation and revenue.

“It is plain as day that robust state taxation reform is desperately overdue and necessary to ensure the sustainability of Tasmania’s overall fiscal position. It’s finally time to pull off the fiscal bandaid.

“I reiterate the call I made in response to previous State Budgets, for a comprehensive independent review be undertaken into our state taxation and revenue system to ensure it is as robust as possible and pulling appropriate levers to drive necessary sustainability reforms while improving its fairness and efficiency.”

Read Ms Webb’s Speech-in-Reply to the Governor’s Address, delivered Tuesday 21 May 2024, below or here: