2017-01-18
The blame for Tasmania missing out on a seat in the federal Cabinet lies squarely on the shoulders of Senator Eric Abetz, Greens Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim says.
"If Senator Abetz had not used his de facto leadership of the Tasmanian Liberals to knife Richard Colbeck so brutally in the Liberal preselection battle, Tasmania would still have a voice at the Cabinet table."
"Not only has Senator Abetz managed to oversee a massive decline in the number of Tasmanian federal Liberal MPs, but he continues to undermine Malcolm Turnbull."
"For him then to expect a cabinet seat as a reward shows how out of touch he is."
"Senator Abetz's disloyalty to his own party has resulted in Tasmania remaining shut out of key decisions at the highest level of government."
"Since he is now being completely ignored by his Liberal colleagues in Canberra, it's probably time for Senator Abetz to formalise his membership of Cory Bernardi's breakaway bunch of far-right fundamentalists."
Media Release Democracy