Rogue MPs who plunged Tasmanian Liberal government into minority stay mute ahead of budget – ABC News
Two members of parliament, who quit as Liberals citing concerns about a lack of transparency on the part of the Tasmanian government, have given a radio interview in which they gave very little away about how they'll play their hands when parliament returns next week.
John Tucker and Lara Alexander held a media conference to announce their resignations from the Tasmanian Liberals last Friday, and followed it up with media interviews early in the week.
They were then silent for several days.
They broke that silence at 5pm yesterdaywith an interview on ABC Radio Drive.
Unlike the interviews they gave at the time they announced their resignations, this time they had very little to say.
The government, which was plunged into minority after losing the two backbenchers, is now in a precarious situation.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff, however, says he is "confident" he would survive a motion of no confidence in parliament.
He said he had been having "productive discussions" with Mr Tucker and Ms Alexander throughout the week.
"I believe I have the support of Lara and John," he said on Friday.
But while the "productive discussions" appear to have left Mr Rockliff feeling confident about surviving a motion of no confidence something Labor has flagged its intention to bring on when parliament sits on Tuesday the details of those discussions are anybody's guess.
Mr Tucker said he and Ms Alexander had been "working cooperatively with the premier and we'll be making a comprehensive statement in the near future".
He repeated that line five times, in response to questions about whether the premier had his support and whether he would support the state budget aspects he was willing to confirm a week ago.
He repeated the second part of that that a comprehensive statement would be made in the near future, twice more.
Ms Alexander said at 5pm on Friday "right now at this time of the day it's probably not the right time to discuss any details" of the pair's discussions with Mr Rockliff.
"It's very difficult for me to go into the specific details, but, having said that full transparency and of discussions and that will be made very clear when the time comes," she said.
Mr Tucker previously said he wouldn't support or instigate a motion of no confidence, and Ms Alexander said a week ago that she wouldn't instigate such a motion, but she didn't rule out supporting one brought by someone else.
She told ABC Hobart Drive a week later that "if the vote of no confidence in the premier is going to destabilise the government, well, obviously it's not what we're about and it's a bit difficult now to talk about hypothetical motions as well, or anything that will come forward next week".
Her position on the budget has also been something of a mixed bag, initially saying she would guarantee supply, then that she would vote against a budget that included funding for the Macquarie Point stadium, then in the most recent interview that "we will need to have a little bit more of a discussion there around the stadium funding".
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Mr Tucker diverted from his script to say "I haven't seen the budget so I'm not prepared to make a statement until I've seen the budget".
It's not clear whether the two new independents will provide the details of their discussions with Mr Rockliff and what may or may not have been agreed to before parliament returns on Tuesday.
Ms Alexander and Mr Tucker's evasive answers on radio prompted text messages from listeners who questioned why they even went on radio.
Tasmanian Greens leader Cassy O'Connor said Mr Tucker and Ms Alexander had a responsibility to to the Tasmanian people to be up-front about their discussions with the premier.
"It's odd that you might effectively blow up a government over transparency concerns, and seven days later not have been transparent about your negotiations with the premier of a minority government," Ms O'Connor said.
"To leave it to the day before parliament or on the floor of the house is untenable and we don't think it's particularly honourable. We're seven days in now, it is more then enough time now we need to hear what it is."
Some skerricks of information did drop out during Friday's radio interview, however. Ms Alexander said she had not seen the deal the government has signed with the AFL something she has been calling for.
She also said it had been a "very difficult week".
Mr Tucker said he would "never say never" when asked if he would return to the Liberal Party.
Ms Alexander said she had no intention of doing so.
They both said they believed they would be able to ask questions during parliamentary question time. They both said they had not been offered the Speaker of the House role.
Mr Tucker also said he had received during the week a briefing on the Marinus link project.
His concerns about that project were among the reasons he cited for quitting the party.
He said that briefing had raised more questions for him.
A week on from the bombshell resignations, however, Tasmanians are left wondering as the two new independents hold their cards close to their chests.
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Rogue MPs who plunged Tasmanian Liberal government into minority stay mute ahead of budget - ABC News
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