Boarding a flight from Canberra to Launceston in March, Mathew Kenna found out his application for a compassionate exemption had been rejected and he was unable to attend the event to say goodbye to his late father Robert.

It was revealed on Wednesday by Tasmanian Hospitality Association chief executive Steve Old workers were granted an exemption to the rules to complete work on the Kalis Group's Crowne Plaza hotel in Hobart.

Mr Old thanked the government for making the exemption possible raising concerns about possible political interference in the matter given the THA has made a number of large donations to the Liberal party over recent years, including donating $269,750 in 2017-18 ahead of the last state election.

Mr Kenna said the fact his exemption was rejected but workers were allowed in was farcical at best.

"The government is pandering to the needs of big business and keeping their own interests at the forefront rather than the needs of legitimate compassionate travellers," he said.

"It smacks of policy on the fly.

"I escalated my exemption through three avenues and yet when you tell me there's non-essential - let's be honest, they are non-essential - workers that were given an exemption it just makes me feel angry and confused."

Murchison independent MLC Ruth Forrest said she could understand why people were very unhappy with this situation.

"I worked really hard to assist people to get legitimate exemptions to visit dying relatives and some of them were rejected and rejected and rejected," Ms Forrest said.

"So many Tasmanians had to miss very significant events in their lives."

Ms Forrest said the government should make public the rationale behind the decision to grant the exemption to the hotel workers.

"It was a building of a hotel. It's not like it's a really complicated structure that as far as I can see requires particular expertise that would not have been available in the state," she said.

"We see people making donations to a party, whichever party it is, and they are seeing favours. That's how it looks - if it's not the case, let's see the evidence."

Greens health spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff said the the Premier risked eroding some of the trust he had established during the pandemic and Tasmanians had a right to be cynical about the "cosy relationship" between the THA and the Liberal government.

But Premier Peter Gutwein said the rules surrounding essential travellers were strict and had not been broken.

Mr Gutwein said these decisions were made by the State Controller and the head of Biosecurity Tasmania within DPIPWE at arm's length from his government and his Ministers.

"People should stop vilifying these senior public servants in terms of the role that they had," Mr Gutwein said.

"This has not been easy but we've been facing a pandemic and we've had to make some tough but fair decisions.

"I understand that many Tasmanians have had difficulties through this and my heart goes out to them."

It is likely the granting of quarantine exemptions will be scrutinised by the Public Accounts Committee, chairman Ivan Dean said.

"It would fit within our terms of reference," Mr Dean said.

"I'm not sure it's been suggested that anything untoward has happened. There is that suggestion of course because of donors to the Liberal party being involved in this - it's got a smell to it."

When asked if workers in Tasmania could have instead been employed for projects such as Crowne Plaza, Mr Gutwein said a case had to be made that the labour was not available here.

"Only specialist labour that was required in terms of projects and industry sectors would have been allowed into the state," Mr Gutwein said.

A State Control Centre spokesperson said a person seeking a exemption needed to meet the essential traveller criteria and then applications were individually assessed on merit by the State Controller.

"Specialist workers from interstate required for time critical work can apply to the State Controller for exemption from 14 days quarantine in government accommodation so that they can conduct their work," the spokesperson said.

"Large-scale projects such as the Crowne Plaza are examples of developments that may require specialist workers from interstate.

"The onus is on employers to provide the written confirmation that the specialist skill sets are not available in Tasmania and the skillset is required for time critical continuity.

"The exemption process is an independent process administered through DPIPWE and the final decision rests with the State Controller."

Applications for compassionate exemptions are also assessed on merit individually by the State Controller but the SCC did not provide a specific list of criteria when asked.

"People arriving in Tasmania can make an application to the State Controller for an exemption from quarantine on compassionate or medical grounds supported by advice from relevant health professionals," the spokesperson said.

As of Thursday July 2: