Politics

Tasmanian politics......scary. Here are some of the reason why I sometimes get a little worried about the future of the State. Yes, I stole this from one of the local rags in Tassie, but it does prove that I am not alone in my concerns. Reminds me a little of Papua New Guinea......

The top six reasons to be a concerned tax payer in Tasmania:

Police Commissioner Jack Johnston voluntarily stood down pending an inquiry into whether he improperly disclosed official secrets linked to a police investigation.

Former deputy premier Bryan Green being charged with the crime of attempting to interfere with an executive officer of the Crown in October 2006. The charge related to an agreement the then infrastructure minister signed with John White, head of the builder accreditation firm Tasmanian Compliance Corporation.


The decision to abort the Resource Planning and Development Commission assessment process for the planned Gunns pulp mill in favour of fast-tracking legislation through parliament.


Steve Kons becoming the second deputy premier to quit in as many years when he admitted lying to parliament in March this year.


Premier Paul Lennon resigning unexpectedly in May after four years in charge of the state, forcing another Cabinet reshuffle and the promotion of Mr Bartlett.


The Government facing possible legal action from a former ministerial driver who had an affair with Economic Development and Tourism Minister Paula Wriedt.

Conspicuous Silence.....

A bit concerned that there is a significant and foreboding silence about the Pulp Mill of late. There is a rally on the 23rd August 2008 at City park which I will be attending which should be interesting. My sources keep saying that they are just in the dark as everyone else and that they are just waiting in limbo (these are people who have significant money tied up in the contracts). I know the State are a bit pissed about being left in the lurch (Bartlett not being told about Scottsdale despite meeting with John Gay two days before the announcement of the redundancies left a bit of a sour taste I would beleive). I know if a contracting company that have sign lengthly leases for interstate and international contributors to the Mill that are also in limbo and slightly concerned that this is dragging on.

So much for the "absolutely must start construction September 2007" and rushing through Parliment to bypass the RPDC. Costing a million a day if construction not started then was my recollection of the statement made....must coming close to 365 million in the red by now (at least). Couldn't be the best senario for shareholders surely.

Can anyone else see the irony of bulldozing a local soccor field to build a head office and placing plastic cows on the grass......aka - Gunns head office in Tasmania.

Perhaps Gunns are just holding off the announcement that the Pulp Mill is scrapped until Spring so that the those having parties celebrating can be held in some warmth!!!!