Madeleine Ogilvie is being accused of deliberately misleading parliament, after she revealed her involvement in a Supreme Court matter, months after saying she was not connected to any legal action.<\/p>\n
In a media release, Ms Ogilvie announced she would be moving to the backbench because she did not want the “government to be distracted by his matter”.<\/p>\n
“I am always guided by the rules, the law and proper process,” she said.<\/p>\n
“But I do apologise for answering the original question poorly \u2014 my intent was to give as much information within the bounds of the suppression order as I could.<\/p>\n
“It is a difficult position for myself as I must now choose between upholding legal obligations to the court or providing the Greens with information to which they are not legally entitled.<\/p>\n
“I will be maintaining confidentiality.<\/p>\n
“Having said that, I do not want our government to be distracted by this matter so have today requested the premier allow me to move to the backbench.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Madeleine Ogilvie has apologised for “answering the original question poorly”. (ABC News: Maren Preuss)<\/p>\n
Ogilvie ‘intentionally misled the parliament’: Greens<\/p>\n
During budget estimates hearings in November, the Greens asked every minister if they were a subject of or a party to any Supreme Court matters in the previous 18 months.<\/p>\n
Some said yes, Ms Ogilvie, like many others, said no.<\/p>\n
But three days later she sent a clarification note saying:<\/p>\n
“I would like to add to an answer I gave yesterday. I have not been the subject of legal proceedings initiated by another party.<\/p>\n
“However I reserve my right to take any action or steps I deem necessary to protect my legal rights at any time.”<\/p>\n
The note, which was not published to the parliament website, did not mention the legal proceedings started by Ms Ogilvie.<\/p>\n
Nor did she mention those legal proceedings when asked by the Greens in question time on May 21 whether she stood by the statement she had made in estimates.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Greens asked every minister if they were the subject of or a party to any Supreme Court proceedings. (ABC News: Maren Preuss)<\/p>\n
Ms Ogilvie was asked again in parliament on Thursday, by the Greens, if what she said in estimates was true.<\/p>\n
This time, Ms Ogilvie told parliament that “in the interests of avoidance of doubt” she wanted to make clear she was a party to a matter she had initiated “in the execution of my duties as minister”.<\/p>\n
“I am not able at this time to provide any details regarding the matter, but I will do so at the earliest possible opportunity when I am legally able to do so,” Ms Ogilvie told parliament.<\/p>\n
The following day Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff sent a letter to Premier Jeremy Rockliff laying out the timeline of events.<\/p>\n
“Premier, throughout this matter Minister Ogilvie has been dishonestly working to: prevent the parliament and public from finding out she initiated a Supreme Court proceeding in secret; and that she had provided a false answer to Estimates,” Dr Woodruff wrote.<\/p>\n
“In doing so she has intentionally misled the parliament on more than one occasion.<\/p>\n
“The fact she has now admitted to the existence of this proceeding does not absolve her of that conduct.”<\/p>\n
Rosalie Woodruff says Madeleine Ogilvie “intentionally misled the parliament on more than one occasion”. (ABC News: Maren Preuss)<\/p>\n
Dr Woodruff asked Mr Rockliff to call for Ms Ogilvie’s resignation, and warned that if he did not hold her accountable, the Greens would consider their options.<\/p>\n
The Greens, Labor and the crossbench previously forced former deputy premier Michael Ferguson to the backbench.<\/p>\n
Premier accepts resignation ‘with sadness’<\/p>\n
Mr Rockliff also issued a statement this evening, saying it was “with sadness” that he accepted Ms Ogilvie’s request to move to the backbench.<\/p>\n
“Minister Ogilvie has made clear her commitment to upholding the law and the integrity of Parliament, which I respect.”<\/p>\n
He said Ms Ogilvie would continue to “be a strong contributor” to the government, and Tasmania’s parliament.<\/p>\n
“I respect Minister Ogilvie’s decision to step back from the frontbench to ensure the government remains focused on delivering for Tasmanians.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jeremy Rockliff says he accepted Madeleine Ogilvie’s resignation from the ministry “with sadness”. (ABC News: Simon Farrell)<\/p>\n
Greens, opposition say questions remain<\/p>\n
The Tasmanian Greens have welcomed Ms Ogilvie’s move to the backbench.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said the party “still had a range of questions about the matter”.<\/p>\n
“Those include why it took six months and multiple attempts at clarification for the truth to come out \u2014 even though other members of the government must have known she had lied.<\/p>\n
“We will continue to press for these answers, and to uncover the facts about legal matters relating to other Liberal ministers and MPs,” Dr Woodruff said.<\/p>\n
Labor leader Josh Willie said “serious questions remain” about Ms Ogilvie’s conduct.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Josh Willie says questions remained for Madeleine Ogilvie as well as the cabinet. (ABC News: Kate Nickels)<\/p>\n
“Tasmanians expect ministers to uphold the highest standards of honesty and accountability.<\/p>\n
“Madeleine Ogilvie failed that test and was no longer fit to serve as a Minister of the Crown,” Mr Willie said.<\/p>\n
The opposition leader said the matter also called Mr Rockliff’s judgement into question.<\/p>\n
“Cabinet is responsible for approving taxpayer-funded legal assistance for ministers and MPs.<\/p>\n
“That means premier Rockliff and the entire cabinet have serious questions to answer about what they knew, when they knew it, and why Tasmanians were kept in the dark,” Mr Willie said.<\/p>\n
From Labor to independent to Liberal<\/p>\n
Ms Ogilvie was first elected to Tasmania’s House of Assembly as a Labor MHA in 2014, before breaking ranks with the party in 2017.<\/p>\n