20 March 2019

Will Hodgman, Premier

Integrity Commission rejects Labor’s politically-motivated witch hunt

Today, the Integrity Commission tabled a report to Parliament dismissing allegations made by the Labor Party against Minister Courtney, the Secretary of the Department of Premier & the Cabinet, and myself.

This brings to an end yet another politically motivated witch-hunt by Labor and a shameless attempt to use the Integrity Commission as a political weapon – the very tactic that the Commission has warned about.

The Integrity Commission has found Rebecca White’s and Labor’s claims against Minister Courtney to be baseless.

Over the recent period, Labor have resorted to gutter politics to also question the integrity of the Department of Premier and Cabinet and its highly respected Secretary, and of two of Tasmania’s most prominent and well respected legal practitioners, former Solicitor-General Leigh Sealy SC, and Mr Damian Bugg QC.

In response to the ludicrous claims from Labor, the Commission has:

• “concluded that the DPAC review was independent and thorough, and involved analysis of all relevant documents. The review was, when appropriate, forensic in nature and identified no material issues regarding Ms Courtney’s decisions during the relevant time.”
• “The evidence shows that highly experienced, qualified and independent investigators were engaged to conduct the investigations”; and
• “The evidence shows the response by Ms Gale and the Premier to the personal relationship – in the form of the DPAC review and the investigations by Mr Bugg and Mr Sealy – was not inadequate”.

These findings demonstrate Labor’s slurs and baseless assertions are nothing more than grubby political tactics to distract from their own lack of policy and direction.

More Media Releases from Will Hodgman

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