Be clear with us, Premier

FOR a man whose catchphrase is “Let me be clear”, Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein’s press conference on Friday was murkier than the darkest depths of the Derwent River.

The Premier — who has been praised for his nononsense approach to the coronavirus crisis — started and ended the conference, as he always does, by saying his No.1 priority was the health and safety of Tasmanians.

Then after some interrogation by reporters, who were rushed along by his media advisers, he skipped an important question by instead launching into a speech about how lucky we were in Tasmania to be able to ask questions about the likelihood of coronavirus infections arriving in the state rather than a daily death toll like they have in Victoria.

We are fortunate at present to be coronavirus free. That fact is undeniable.

But what is also undeniable is that the state government has not been transparent with Tasmanians.

We have implored the government to provide data or science to support its refusal to open to safe travel spots until December 1.

Then we find out that the Deputy Director of Public Health said there was a one in 10 million chance of a case of coronavirus arriving to Tasmania outside of a hotspot. The government refused to confirm this stat, instead trying to deflect and ignore.

When grilled on that number, which is a significant number delivered by a significant player in our coronavirus decision-making, Director of Public Health Mark Veitch bumbled his way through an answer.

This government is denying Tasmanians their freedoms, denying us access to our mainland families and crippling our businesses, and it doesn’t even have the decency to provide an explanation for a number shared by one of the state’s top health officials.

In fact, the government has refused to provide us any risk-based data or modelling at all — a far cry from the example set early in the piece by Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Brendan Murphy, who frequently provided audiovisual modelling to assist in the public’s understanding.

Instead Mr Gutwein, rather than answering a question about the one-in-10 million figure, effectively told us to just appreciate how lucky we are not to be in Melbourne right now.

The state is panicked about another outbreak but that can’t be a reason for border closures. Heightened fear is not something Mr Gutwein should use to avoid answering questions like he did on Friday.

Mr Gutwein says our health is his priority but Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Mr Gutwein wanted Tasmania to allow overseas travellers returning to Australia to quarantine in our state.

Mr Gutwein said he was pushing for Hobart Airport to become an international airport.

Mr Gutwein failed to rule out he would take international travellers in exchange for the airport status — a horse-trade that would alarm many Tasmanians. This arrangement must be clarified.

Mr Gutwein insists his decision-making is based on health advice then he fails to share the full details of that advice.

From Friday’s performance there can be no other logical conclusion — this is as political as it is in our public health interests.

In the absence of transparent, robust and factbased messaging from the government, let us be clear: Tasmania deserves better.