STATE Growth Minister Matthew Groom has refused to resign for misleading Parliament and the Premier has quashed calls to sack him, triggering a no confidence debate. Mr Groom on Wednesday misled Parliament by saying there were no proposals to sell or transfer TasTAFE properties in Hobart. The Minister signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the proposal just last month. Mr Groom says he was well aware of the agreement when he delivered his answer, but was conscious of sensitivities surrounding the non-binding deal. ''I slipped up yesterday. I was asked a question. I endeavoured to answer that question accurately and honestly,'' he said during Question Time. ''On reflection, I formed the view that without any other than context, my answer was inadequate.'' ''I can categorically say that I did not intend to mislead the Parliament,'' he said. Greens leader Cassy O'Connor said the Minister had been caught out trying to be "too smart by half". "Are you incompetent or dishonest? Which of the two? Or are you both?" she said. Opposition Leader Bryan Green said Tasmanians could no longer trust Mr Groom was not hiding any more deals from public view. "Will you do the honourable thing today and resign?" Mr Green asked the minister. His calls were flatly rejected, so Mr Green turned instead to Premier Will Hodgman. Mr Hodgman said he knew Mr Groom stuffed up, but insisted he has confidence in his minister. Not satisfied by their response, Mr Green moved a motion of no confidence in Mr Groom immediately after Question Time. ''If a minister looks you in the eye and delivers an answer, you deserve to know they're telling the truth,'' he said. Ms O'Connor backed the no confidence motion. "You can say you stuffed up, you can say you slipped up. But in our view, the Minister misled the Parliament," she said. The debate is expected to last until late this afternoon.
STATE Growth Minister Matthew Groom has refused to resign for misleading Parliament and the Premier has quashed calls to sack him, triggering a no confidence debate.
