Premier resists release of Gunns' compo advice
abc.net.au
September 29, 2011
The Tasmanian Premier is under more pressure to release the Solicitor-General's advice about the payout to Gunns for their native timber contracts.
The Legislative Council has rejected a confidential briefing on the legal advice about government compensation to timber company Gunns.
On Tuesday, Lara Giddings wrote to the Upper House and the State Opposition offering a private briefing with the Solicitor General about the legal basis for the $23 million payout.
The Liberals swiftly rejected the offer and after a meeting yesterday afternoon so too did the Legislative Council.
The President Sue Smith says MLCs believe the document should be made public.
"They felt that they were restricted by confidentiality aspect of the offer and we now revert to the process of a request for that document to be tabled in the Legislative Council," she said.
"[We] were of the of the opinion that with $34.5 million in taxpayer dollars spent, that now it should have been able to become a public document."
In a statement, the Premier says she has gone to great lengths to cooperate with the Upper House and offered the briefing in good faith.
Ms Giddings says the government has got "nothing to hide" and is concerned some MLCs are more interested in the politics of the matter, rather than the facts.