Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff links Madeleine Ogilvie's court action to Integrity Commission
Madeleine Ogilvie resigned from cabinet amid allegations she had misled Tasmanian Parliament over her Supreme Court action. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)
In short:
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has linked comments made by the boss of the state's Integrity Commission to a question about former minister Madeleine Ogilvie's Supreme Court action.
Chief commissioner Robert Hay KC told ABC Radio Hobart today that he was required to maintain confidentiality about integrity investigations.
The premier says: "If you listen to that interview, you may well appreciate the circumstances that I find myself in."
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has given his strongest indication yet that government MP Madeleine Ogilvie is being investigated by the Integrity Commission, pointing to comments made by its chief commissioner.
Ms Ogilvie resigned from cabinet amid allegations she had misled parliament over her Supreme Court action.
Government ministers spent last week's budget estimates hearings stonewalling questions on the matter, with the premier finally offering a fuller explanation this week.
At a press conference this afternoon, Mr Rockliff was asked about why that had not come sooner.
Journalist: The explanation you gave yesterday was very thorough. Why didn't we get that earlier? Why did we go through all of the estimates hearings where no-one could answer?
Premier: I'm well aware of my legal responsibilities when it comes to certain matters. I believe a representative from the Integrity Commission was on ABC radio yesterday and if you listen to that interview, you may well appreciate the circumstances that I find myself in. And so, an abundance of caution given the matters that are possibly being canvassed.
Ms Ogilvie's resignation and legal revelations have reignited speculation about which government MPs may be the focus of two long-running Integrity Commission investigations.
Robert Hay KC, the chief commissioner of the Integrity Commission, appeared on 936 ABC Hobart yesterday, and pointed to confidentiality restrictions when asked who the subject of the watchdog's investigations was.
"We have very strict rules in our act, section 94, about confidentiality and I'm not allowed to talk about any matter that comes to my knowledge in the course of employment,"he said.
Mr Hay also referred to a 2024 statement by former chief commissioner Greg Melick.
"[Mr Melick] said [MPs have] got to be afforded fairness to the subject of investigations and not being found guilty of any misconduct," Mr Hay said.
Ms Ogilvie resigned from cabinet on May 30, two days after admitting she had initiated Supreme Court action, the details of which she has still not revealed.
The former Science and Environment Minister told a budget estimates hearing in November she was not subject or party to any Supreme Court action.
A clarification she offered, also in November, omitted her action, only saying she was not the subject of action started by someone else.
Since then, Mr Rockliff and other cabinet ministers have been under increasing pressure to reveal if they knew Ms Ogilvie had potentially misled parliament.
Seven crossbenchers wrote to Mr Rockliff this week demanding answers, prompting him to admit he should have "interrogated" the issue further.
The Tasmanian Greens and independents have written a joint letter to Premier Jeremy Rockliff. (ABC News: Kate Nickels)
He said he was made aware of Ms Ogilvie's comments in November, but was also told there was a clarification.
He looked into the issue further in May, only then discovering that the clarification "was not adequate".
Greens threaten to reveal investigation information
Mr Rockliff's apology yesterday appears not to have satisfied non-government MPs, with the possibility of a censure motion against him still being floated.
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff also shared her displeasure at the pace of the Integrity Commission's investigations, which have been open since 2022.
"Two elections where Tasmanians have gone to the ballot box, not knowing whether they were voting for a person that is being investigated for misconduct. That is outrageous,"Dr Woodruff said.
Dr Woodruff said she believed parliamentary privilege could be used as a shield against "the legalities" around suppression orders or confidentiality requirements.
"We need to make some decisions about whether we can continue with the situation, where we're all not talking about the thing that we know is actually happening," she said.
She said the Greens had been acting "in good faith for years".
Dr Woodruff also pointed to the Premier's claim that any MPs found "to be in the wrong" would have to repay legal fees, as proof that the legal action related to claims of misconduct or wrongdoing.
"We have a situation now where Tasmanian taxpayers have been handing out the dough for years," she said.
Ms Ogilvie has claimed $120,000 thus far to cover her legal fees.