2016-09-12
Greens Treasury spokesperson, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, is calling on Labor’s new Tasmanian MPs Ross Hart, Brian Mitchell and Justine Keay to oppose the Liberal Omnibus Bill and stand up for Tasmania.
Senator Whish-Wilson said, “The Liberals’ three northern MPs were in trouble the moment that Tony Abbott introduced his government’s anti-Tasmanian 2014 budget. If Andrew Nikolic, Brett Whiteley or Eric Hutchinson had listened to their electorates and spoken out against Abbott’s cruel and counter-productive budget cuts then they might have kept their seats.
“The three new Tasmanian Labor MPs need to heed this lesson and stand up for their electorates, who are particularly vulnerable to this ideological legislative attack.
“They need to decide whether they will stand up for Tasmania or pass more Abbott-era cuts.
“I am sure that these MPs know that Newstart is already too low and shouldn’t be cut further, and that struggling low-income Tasmanians need all the income and healthcare supplements we can give them. I am sure they know that Tasmania needs the investment in renewable energy that ARENA can provide. But will they vote in Tasmania’s interest or in the interest of the Turnbull Government?” he concluded.