The State Government has no choice but to release full details of the recipients of the $26 million Small Business Hardship Grants scheme.
Shadow Treasurer David O’Byrne said the government must heed a call by the Public Accounts Committee examining Tasmania’s spending on COVID-19 to release the information.
“Peter Gutwein and Sarah Courtney have repeatedly refused to provide details of the grant recipients,” Mr O’Byrne said.
“The Premier has previously said there is no need for an independent inquiry into the pandemic, that ‘because the Public Accounts Committee follows the government dollar, it can inquire into just about anything, in fact, everything’ related to the government’s response to COVID-19.
“Now that the Committee has called for the public release of the grant recipients, the government has no excuse to be anything other than candid with Tasmanian taxpayers and the public.
“Everyone understands the hardship that businesses have experienced as a consequence of the pandemic and the recession it’s caused, and there is no shame in seeking support.
“But Tasmanians have a right to know how public funds are spent. The government must release this information and respect the need for transparency on all matters of public spending.
“The government’s actions have created an unnecessary cloud of controversy over all recipients of this most worthy assistance program. How many more recipients have to go public supporting the release of the information for them to act?”
David O’Byrne MP
Shadow Treasurer
