MEDIA
Tasmanian Government produces its first gender impact statement for this year’s budget
Matt Maloney | The Examiner | 27 May 2022Treasurer Michael Ferguson has defended the content in the state budgets first gender impact statement in about 20 years - a seven-page document.The Legislative Council earlier this year voted in favour of an analytical gender...
Media Release – State Budget Must Take Priority – Don’t Bulldoze Local Government Reforms
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb today called on the Rockliff Liberal Government to consider additional parliamentary sitting days after State Budget scrutiny to then debate proposed local government election reforms.“It is established practice for the State...
Media Release – Inaugural Gender Budget Impact Statement Wasted Opportunity
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb said today the State Government has badly missed the mark despite promising to deliver Tasmania’s inaugural Gender Budget Impact Statement (GBIS).“The Upper House called for a genuine and rigorous gender responsive budgeting...
Fin fish report calls for better planning and transparency
Leon Compton | ABC Mornings | 25 May 2022 Read the Inquiries' Final Report.See more of Meg's recent media.
Call to halt salmon farm developments in Tasmania
Matt Maloney | The Examiner | 25 May 2022A sub-committee overseeing a Legislative Council inquiry into fin-fish farming says all environmental licence conditions for all existing fin-fish farms in Tasmania need to be reviewed.The inquiry, which started in 2019, has...
Aquaculture inquiry report calls for brakes to be pulled on Tasmanian fish farm expansions
David Killick | The Mercury | 24 May 2022THERE should be no expansion of the state’s fish farming until the government finalised a growth plan and a biosecurity plan for industry, a parliamentary committee has recommended.The Legislative Council subcommittee Report on...
Media Release – Fin Fish Inquiry Report
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb said the tabling of Inquiry into Fin Fish Farming in Tasmania strongly encourages the State Government to ensure all future industry planning and regulation actively improves public confidence and builds the industry’s social...
Media Release – Inaugural Gender Budget Impact Statement Must Be Genuine
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb today released evaluation criteria by which to assess Tasmania’s inaugural Gender Budget Impact Statement (GBIS) expected as part of Thursday’s State Budget.“I welcome the government’s recent commitment to introduce gender...
Tasmanian Parliament approves land tax changes, but questions remain on how it will help renters – if at all
Matt Maloney | The Examiner | 4 May 2022 Parliament has approved land tax cuts for secondary property owners and landlords, promised by the Liberals in last year's state election.Now, a person with property or land other than their residential property will not have...
Media Release – Land Tax Debate Raises Conflict of Interest Concerns
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb today warned the Tasmanian Government’s latest Land Tax Rating bill creates a very real risk of perceived potential conflict of interest.“Real-time Parliamentary Pecuniary Interest declarations are needed and a proactive, routine...
Ensuring that everybody can vote, regardless of COVID isolation requirements
Kim Napier | ABC Drive | 19 April 2022 See more of Meg's recent media.
Media Release – How will May Legislative Council Elections Provide for Voters Isolating due to Covid?
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb has called on the Rockliff Liberal Government to ensure voters will not risk disenfranchisement due to Covid-19 in the upcoming Upper House elections.“On May 7, the three Legislative Council seats of Elwick, Huon and McIntyre...
Media Release – New Premier Provides Opportunity for New Culture of Respect
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb said Jeremy Rockliff’s appointment as Tasmania’s new Premier, offers an opportunity for a new inclusive and respectful culture to be adopted by government.“I congratulate Jeremy Rockliff on his appointment as Tasmania’s Premier...
Protesting and conflicts of interest
Kingborough Chronicle | 5 April 2022In case anyone missed it, the Tasmanian Government has proposed changes to the State’s protest laws. The Police Offences Amendment (Workplace Protection) Bill 2022 focuses on amending the existing Police Offences Act and is...
Media Release – Legislative Council Votes for Gender Budget Impact Proposal
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb said today the Legislative Council today voted for the next State Budget to include a Gender Budget Impact Statement.“What a fabulous way to commemorate International Women’s Day and deliver on its theme of breaking the bias!” Ms...
Media Release – International Women’s Day – Gender Budget Impact Statement Proposal
The Legislative Council will today mark International Women’s Day by debating a call for Tasmania to adopt a Gender Budget Impact Statement as part of the annual State Budget Papers.Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb MLC tabled the motion which will be debated...
Media Release – Missed Cabinet Opportunity
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb said today the latest Liberal Government Cabinet reshuffle was a missed opportunity to demonstrate the State’s commitment to prioritising the flagged Truth-Telling Commission and Treaty process with the Tasmanian Aboriginal...
Early state election throws up raft of big questions to ponder
Under our normal four-year cycle, the Gutwein Government would have faced a State election in a matter of weeks.So it’s interesting to consider how a March, 2022, election may have influenced the political decision-making, communications and priorities of the past six...
Gutwein promised the Tasmanian Liberals would disclose all donations over $5000. They didn’t.
Bob Burton | Tasmanian Inquirer| 8 February 2022 Almost $80,000 in donations above threshold hidden from voters before May 2021 Tasmanian election.The Tasmanian Liberal party did not disclose at least $79,600 in donations received before last year’s state election...
Risks hidden as schools reopen
Kingborough Chronicle | 8 February 2022 Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb has called for the release of Public Health Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) advice in relation to the Tasmanian Government’s approach to the reopening of schools before public school students...
Students COVID testing discrepancy still raising concerns
Adam Holmes | Advocate | 8 February 2022 PUBLIC Health has outlined why it chose not to recommend Tasmanian school children undergo mandatory rapid antigen testing, describing their risk as "very low" and that other states had higher rates of transmission.Tasmania...
Tasmania chooses not to test all children before school returns, believing they are at ‘very low risk’
Adam Holmes | Examiner | 7 February 2022 Public Health has outlined why it chose not to recommend Tasmanian school children undergo mandatory rapid antigen testing, describing their risk as "very low" and that other states have higher rates of transmission.Tasmania...
Tasmania goes own way on rapid antigen tests for students as school returns
ABC Tasmania |7 February 2022Tasmania's public health authority has defended its decision not to recommend Tasmanian school students undertake twice weekly rapid COVID tests, in contrast to Australia's most populous states.Key points:- Students in NSW, Victoria and...
Criticism of schools RAT plan; Why wait for symptoms, asks MP
Helen Kempton | Mercury | 7 February 2022 HERE are claims Tasmania's Education Department is out of step with its interstate counterparts which require students and teachers to test negative to Covid-19 b- efore they return to school, after a holiday period dominated...
Calls grow for greater oversight
Adam Holmes | Examiner/Advocate | 7 February 2022 AN INDEPENDENT upper house member will continue a push this year to have Tasmanian public health officials and ministers face parliamentary hearings to answer questions about the COVID response, fearing they face less...
Tasmania out of step with other states on student testing: Meg Webb
Helen Kempton | Mercury | 6 February 2022 A member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council says Tassie is out of step with interstate student and teacher testing guidelines and wants a rethink to stop school restart outbreaks.There are claims that Tasmania’s Education...
Media Release – School Reopening and RATs
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb today called for the State Government to release Public Health RAT advice for Tasmania’s State Schools return this week.“There is an apparent disparity between Tasmania’s RAT (Rapid Antigen Test) regime for students and staff...
We’re being duped, but there is hope
Simon Bevilacqua | Mercury | 5 February 2022 TASMANIANS are being played as fools by both major political parties, whose priority is not the wellbeing of the public, but quid pro quo deals with political donors.What's worse is this shameless distortion of democracy...
Doubts over donations reform date
Judy Augustine | Mercury | 3 February 2022PREMIER Peter Gutwein has been unable to confirm whether Tasmania's electoral donation reforms will be in place by the start of the next financial year, promising a Bill will be introduced to parliament in the first half of...
Sights set on weaker limit
Adam Holmes| Examiner| 3 February 2022 PREMIER Peter Gutwein says the government will stick with its proposed $5000 threshold for when political donations are publicly disclosed, despite it only bringing Tasmania to the back of the pack for transparency.The...
