Premier blasts claims

Hodgman insists Government not involved in cricket sacking

PREMIER Will Hodgman says continuing claims his Government was involved in the sacking of a Cricket Tasmania staffer are “baseless lies”.

Hobart woman Angela Williamson is suing for wrongful dismissal after being sacked by Cricket Tasmania over comments she made on social media criticising the Govern- ment’s policy on abortion.

Ms Williamson was forced to travel to Melbourne for an abortion after the state’s last private provider closed and no public service was offered.

Mr Hodgman said there was no truth in Labor claims that Health Minister Michael Ferguson had acted improperly in the case.

“With respect to the baseless allegations that Labor are making without any evidence and the fact that they say it day in day out does not make it true, there has been no effort by anyone in my Government to influence the employment arrangements between Ms Williamson and Cricket Australia,” he said yesterday.

“I can be entirely confident that no one in Government has sought to do so and I make that very clear.

“Labor have absolutely no substance for their claims. The fact they continue to go out day after day making them doesn’t make them any more real.

“It’s a matter for the Fair Work Commission to determine … not for Labor to continue to lie to continue to use somebody’s personal circumstances for political point scoring, [it] is disgraceful.”

Mr Hodgman said he was satisfied that Mr Ferguson had not disclosed any of Ms Williamson’s personal information during a phone conversation with Cricket Tasmania chief executive Nick Cummins.

Mr Hodgman said Mr Cummins had tried to call him to apologise for Ms Williamson’s comments but had been unable to get through so had called Mr Ferguson instead.

Labor leader Rebecca White said an independent inquiry was needed.

“I’m not satisfied that the Premier has apparently cleared himself of any wrongdoing. There can only be a true resolution here if there’s an inquiry,” she said.

Ms White said Ms Williamson’s treatment had been “appalling”.

“She has lost her job and what we still don’t understand is what private medical information that might have been shared that wasn’t in the public domain.”

Union members yesterday rallied outside Blundstone Arena in support of Ms Williamson.