Premier exposed, double standards can’t continue

Premier Jeremy Rockliff has been exposed trying to deceive Tasmanians by making it sound like he had legal advice preventing him from answering questions about the Liberals’ legal fees scandal when he didn’t.

The Premier’s actions are a slap in the face to the Tasmanian public who rightly expect transparency and honesty from the leader of their Government.

The boilerplate response he and his colleagues repeatedly gave through the week has been exposed as nothing more than a political cover-up.

The Premier’s deception also raises another very serious question – has he received legal advice about what he can or can’t say about Minister Howlett’s $300,000 worth of secret, taxpayer funded legal fees?

Or is he lying to Tasmanians about Ms Howlett as well?

Yesterday, Premier Jeremy Rockliff linked Madeleine Ogilvie’s court action to the Integrity Commission.

The very same questions that apply to Madeleine Ogilvie apply to Jane Howlett.

Madeleine Ogilvie’s position in Cabinet was untenable, and unless the Liberals come clean about Minister Howlett’s $300,000 worth of legal fees, her position is too.