Sue Smith
Tasmania’s top independent forestry adviser to the State Government has quit, three weeks after being gagged by the Resources Minister. Source: ABC News
Former Legislative Council member Sue Smith resigned as deputy chair of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Monday.
Council members were banned from speaking to the media after Mrs Smith publicly called for Forestry Tasmania to be dismantled and its assets sold.
Just two days later Resources Minister Paul Harriss said Mrs Smith had reversed her position and supported retaining Forestry Tasmania.
“Sue Smith supports the Government’s policy position that Forestry Tasmania remain as a GBE [Government Business Enterprise],” he said.
Mr Harriss also said at the time the members of his advisory council had agreed to an effective gag order.
“As to Sue Smith’s comments, I’ve discussed personally with Sue … and Sue has agreed, as do all members in the ministerial advisory council, that public and personal opinions are not appropriately ventilated through the media,” he said.
Mr Harriss announced Mrs Smith’s departure this morning and denied he had earlier misrepresented her views when he suggested she had changed her mind on Forestry Tasmania.
“What I said was the Ministerial Advisory Council a couple of weeks ago reaffirmed as a group its support for the Government’s policy to retain Forestry Tasmania as a Government Business Enterprise,” he said.
Mr Harriss said Mrs Smith tendered her resignation from the position to give clear air to the members to progress the council’s work.
“They are her words, as to not wanting there to be any distraction to the work of the Ministerial Advisory Council and the important work which we have in front of us to rebuild the forest industry after the mess which we inherited after the last government,” he said.
Mr Harriss denied Mrs Smith’s resignation was because he did not want dissenting voices on the council.
“That’s not the case at all,” he said. “The Ministerial Advisory Council a couple of weeks ago reaffirmed as a group its support for the Government’s policy to retain Forestry Tasmania as a Government Business Enterprise.’
“I think anyone who knows Sue Smith would know that she always has the greater public good at the base of any decision she makes.”
Mr Harriss said he would decide on a replacement soon.
“As soon as I possibly can; I only spoke with Sue on Monday this week,” he said.
Labor call for Resources Minister to resign Greens MP Andrea Dawkins said Mr Harriss was reducing the council to a group of “‘yes men” and that his attempt to stop members with different views from speaking to the media was a mistake.
“I don’t think it’s ever wise to gag somebody who you’ve put in a position of authority because of their experience,” she said.
“It’s a really bad look for any government and it’s just a continuation of the mismanagement of the resources in Tasmania.”
State Opposition Leader Bryan Green accused Mr Harriss of lying about the level of support on his Ministerial Advisory Council for his position on Forestry Tasmania.
Mr Green said Mr Harriss should be sacked over his handling of the situation.
“The fact is that Sue Smith came out and told the Tasmanian people what her views were, she’s highly respected, a former president of the Upper House, a long-term Member of Parliament, Paul Harriss treated her very badly through that process and I think now, it’s his position that is untenable,” he said.
In response, Mr Harriss released a statement in which he denied saying Mrs Smith had reversed her views on Forestry Tasmania.
“I never said that Mrs Smith had changed her personal views,” he said. “As I said very clearly on 19 June, the entire Ministerial Advisory Council met and agreed they supported the Government’s position on Forestry Tasmania, including Mrs Smith in her professional position as deputy chair of the council.
“I’d suggest to Mr Green that before calling on people to resign he takes a good hard look in the mirror.”
