After the Jacqui Lambie Network members clearly broke their coalition agreement last night by voting for a binding motion against the government, Jeremy Rockliff has bent over backwards trying to pretend they didn't because he's too weak and compromised to enforce it.
According to their Coalition agreement with the Liberals, the Jacqui Lambie Network cannot under any circumstances support motions that bind the Government.
The Premier tried to put up the flimsy argument that this section of the coalition agreement only applies to matters of confidence and supply. This argument might be more believable if the very next section of the agreement didn't contradict it.
Under Item 2 of the agreement, titled "OTHER PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS", it notes that the Jacqui Lambie Network remain "free to vote against the Government on legislation, amendments to legislation, non-binding motions, and other votes of the Parliament or Parliamentary committees as they arise, subject to following the "Stability Protocol".
Noticeably, motions that bind the government haven't been included in this section. And why would they be? They were already covered in Item 1.
The Premier is clearly too weak to act on this matter because his political survival is entirely in the hands of the Jacqui Lambie Network.
This is an agreement that Tasmanian business confidence relies on. It's the agreement that forms the basis for any stability or lack thereof in the parliament.
The Jacqui Lambie Network have already signalled their opposition to forestry, aquaculture, wind farms and a range of Tasmanian industries, and have indicated they're considering voting down parts of the budget.
If the Premier won't stand up to this clear and comprehensive breach of the agreement, what will the Jacqui Lambie Network try and sabotage next?
Shane Broad MP
Leader of Opposition Business in the House of Assembly
