New MP takes aim at the politics of pokies

I NDEPENDENT member Meg Webb has taken aim against the corrupting influence of political donations in her inaugural speech in the Legislative Council.

Ms Webb said the state’s electoral donations laws were too lax and the influence of the pokies industry on the 2018 state election had been contrary to the interests of democracy.

“I never again want to see the overwhelming financial support and raw political influence of a particular industry install any party as the government of this state, nor cause any opposition party to be cowed to the point of inaction,” she said

“There lies the death of our democratic foundation.” Ms Webb was elected as the member for the division of Nelson in May, ahead of Liberal Nic Street.

She said political parties should not fear fair and transparent elections and said the state’s notoriously lax electoral disclosure laws should be urgently updated.

Ms Webb said the major parties had completely failed to serve the people on poker machine reform when in government.

“Each iteration of the policy, legislative and regulatory approach taken on poker machines in this state has been, and continues to be, an example of bad public policy,” she said.

“Policy made against all credible evidence, to the detriment of tens of thousands of Tasmanian families, and solely in the interests of currying favour with an influential, financially powerful industry — it has lacked, and continues to lack, economic, social and moral credibility.

“Over decades, we have witnessed our state governments of both stripes flagrantly mislead the Tasmanian people on this issue, tie themselves in knots to justify the policy capture and regulatory capture they have allowed to prosper in relation to this industry, and time and again fail to demonstrate the common decency required to put the lives of Tasmanian people before the profits of a small number of well-connected donors.”

Ms Webb gave thanks for her family’s support during the election campaign and cited her great, great aunt, Maud Donnelly, as the inspiration for her passion for social justice and addressing disadvantage.

She told the chamber she was committed to maintaining her idealism and her commitment to social justice and addressing disadvantage.