TAS:Tas govt at risk after no-confidence move

AAP General News (Australia)
04-05-2011
TAS:Tas govt at risk after no-confidence move

By Patrick Caruana

HOBART, April 5 AAP - Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings says a no-confidence motion against
one of her ministers threatens to bring down the state's minority government.

Opposition Leader Will Hodgman moved a no-confidence motion against Children's Minister
Lin Thorp on Tuesday but the government voted against debating the motion, despite support
from the Greens.

Labor relies upon Greens support in parliament to remain in government.

Ms Thorp has been criticised for leaking sensitive details about the process in which
Paul Mason was dumped as the state's Children's Commissioner.

In a radio interview two weeks ago, Ms Thorp revealed that Mr Mason had ranked fourth
out of five candidates interviewed for the position.

The minister publicly apologised last week but Mr Mason is running as an independent
against her in the upper house seat of Rumney.

Ms Thorp was also criticised over an audit of child protection services released on
Tuesday, which revealed that legislated parental visiting requirements were not met in
more than 70 per cent of cases.

Ms Giddings said the no-confidence motion threatened the future of the government.

"It must be clearly understood that if a no-confidence motion in a minister is carried,
it is effectively a no-confidence motion in this government," she told reporters.

"This very much is a grave test and I certainly accept that this is a difficult time
for the Labor and Greens parties and for the parliament as a whole."

Ms Giddings said she would hold urgent talks with the Greens to avoid the government fracturing.

"I would hope that we can have adequate discussions over the next 24 hours to find
a reasonable way forward," she said.

Greens leader and cabinet minister Nick McKim said he still believed the motion should
be debated in parliament.

"We believe that this would have been consistent with democratic principles," Mr McKim
said in a statement.

"According to our understanding this motion is still live but it will require the Liberals
to choose when, or if, they will seek to debate it once it matures."

Ms Giddings said the Liberals were trying to bring about an early election.

"She (Ms Thorp) does not deserve to have a no-confidence move against her purely for
political gain, and that is what the Liberals are playing at," she said.

Mr Hodgman said the government had abandoned Ms Thorp.

"This is the first time in living memory a premier and her government not defend one
of their own ministers," she said.

"There is a dark cloud hanging over this government. They are unstable, they are unsure
of themselves."

AAP pbc/dep

KEYWORD: THORP

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