THE handling of almost $50,000 misappropriated from the Tasmanian Liberals at the hands of its ex-director has dominated Question Time for the third day straight. Opposition Leader Bryan Green has called on the Premier to refer the 2008 affair to police. Former state director Damien Mantach was forced to repay $48,000 in personal expenses racked up on a Liberal Party credit card before being pushed out of the job in 2008. Mr Mantach then moved to Victoria to work for that state's Liberal Party. He is currently under investigation by the Victoria Police fraud and extortion squad, over allegations he stole $1.5 million from the Liberals over four years. Senior Tasmanian Liberal ministers and the party's administrative heads have been tight-lipped on the affair all week. Opposition Leader Bryan Green told Parliament this morning the Liberal Party's handling of the matter ''reeked of a cover-up''. Premier Will Hodgman and Tasmanian Liberal Senator Eric Abetz were both briefed on the overspending in 2008. Mr Green argued failing to report the affair to police was an indictment on the premier. ''It casts a dark cloud over the entire leadership of the Tasmanian Liberal Party and by extension, your government,'' Mr Green said. ''Premier, will you finally demonstrate some leadership and refer this matter to Tasmania Police?'' Mr Hodgman said the Opposition Leader was trying to turn Parliament into a kangaroo court. ''This is a matter, as I've told this house, which is a province of the Liberal Party organisational wing,'' Mr Hodgman said. ''Not me, not any other members of Parliament. ''He knows these matters are not under my control or my responsibility, and yet he continues to trawl through whatever he can to make very tenuous connections,'' he said.
THE handling of almost $50,000 misappropriated from the Tasmanian Liberals at the hands of its ex-director has dominated Question Time for the third day straight.
Opposition Leader Bryan Green has called on the Premier to refer the 2008 affair to police.
Former state director Damien Mantach was forced to repay $48,000 in personal expenses racked up on a Liberal Party credit card before being pushed out of the job in 2008.
Mr Mantach then moved to Victoria to work for that state's Liberal Party.
He is currently under investigation by the Victoria Police fraud and extortion squad, over allegations he stole $1.5 million from the Liberals over four years.
Senior Tasmanian Liberal ministers and the party's administrative heads have been tight-lipped on the affair all week.
Opposition Leader Bryan Green told Parliament this morning the Liberal Party's handling of the matter ''reeked of a cover-up''.
Premier Will Hodgman and Tasmanian Liberal Senator Eric Abetz were both briefed on the overspending in 2008.
Mr Green argued failing to report the affair to police was an indictment on the premier.
''It casts a dark cloud over the entire leadership of the Tasmanian Liberal Party and by extension, your government,'' Mr Green said.
''Premier, will you finally demonstrate some leadership and refer this matter to Tasmania Police?''
Mr Hodgman said the Opposition Leader was trying to turn Parliament into a kangaroo court.
''This is a matter, as I've told this house, which is a province of the Liberal Party organisational wing,'' Mr Hodgman said.
''Not me, not any other members of Parliament.
''He knows these matters are not under my control or my responsibility, and yet he continues to trawl through whatever he can to make very tenuous connections,'' he said.
