Jeremy Rockliff FACEBOOK POST
Voters in dark: Treasurer exposed as former bankrupt
Tasmania’s embattled Liberal Treasurer, Michael Ferguson, is a former bankrupt but has never declared his past insolvency to voters, The Weekend Australian can reveal.
Mr Ferguson, facing a potentially career-ending no-confidence motion over bungling of a vital wharf project and claims he misled parliament, was declared bankrupt in 1994.
Documents held by the Australian Financial Security Authority show Mr Ferguson lodged a debtor’s petition for bankruptcy, accepted on February 1, 1994.
The bankruptcy remained in place for about six months until being discharged early on August 11, 1994.
Mr Ferguson, also Deputy Premier and current acting Premier, told The Weekend Australian the bankruptcy was the result of debts incurred due to a car accident when he was a 19-year-old university student.
“I was a teenager on my way to a student-teacher prac placement when I was involved in a car accident for which I accepted responsibility,” he said.
“The car I was driving at the time was uninsured.
“Given my age and lack of income I was advised to apply for bankruptcy. I was afforded an early discharge six months later, the earliest that anyone can be given.
“This has been on the public record for more than 30 years and disclosed whenever required, including the Premier’s knowledge of, and through federal and state preselection processes since my first preselection in 2004.”
It is understood Mr Ferguson failed to give way in the accident and that the other drivers involved sought to recover a combined sum of about $20,000 from him as the at-fault driver.
Mr Ferguson, a federal MP before he entered state politics, described the surfacing of his bankruptcy on the eve of a potential no-confidence vote as “nothing more than a shameful political hit job”.
He said there were people “resorting to grubby attacks” to “bring me down”.
“Not satisfied with threats of a politically inspired no-confidence motion, they are dredging up a very traumatic incident that occurred when I was teenager,” he said.
“It shows just how low they will go. Tasmanians demand us to get on with the job of dealing with the real issues that matter to them, not this utterly toxic political pointscoring and desperate attempts to smear and tear people down.”
However, Mr Ferguson is likely to face questions over why he has never disclosed the bankruptcy to voters, either when seeking election to the House of Representatives in 2004 and 2007, or at five state elections.
Appointed Treasurer in 2022, Mr Ferguson has allowed state debt to balloon from $1.5bn in 2021-22 to a projected $8.6bn by 2027-28, prompting alarm among some economists and business leaders.
Exposure of his former bankruptcy comes as the conservative weathers a political storm over the failure to ensure two new $900m-plus Bass Strait ferries have an adequate wharf at which to dock.
“It’s little wonder Tasmania’s finances are such a mess – Michael Ferguson went bankrupt, and now he’s wrecked Tasmania’s finances too,” said Labor Treasury spokesman Josh Willie.
“It’s truly remarkable that the man in charge of Tasmania’s finances was declared bankrupt after causing a car accident and not having any insurance.
“Treasurer Ferguson has demonstrated terrible judgment time and time again. Just in recent months he’s delivered the worst budget in Tasmania’s history and overseen the biggest infrastructure stuff-up in Tasmanian history.”
The wharf scandal has already seen Mr Ferguson, 50, resign as infrastructure minister, and claimed the jobs of two state-owned ferry company chiefs, amid an ongoing, bruising parliamentary inquiry.
Failure to build a new wharf for the two new Finnish-built Spirit of Tasmania ferries – the first of which is due to arrive later this year – means they will initially at best operate well below capacity.
Mr Ferguson and senior figures in the state-owned TT-Line ferry company and TasPorts have blamed each other for the debacle, which also follows budget and timeline blowouts on the ferries.
Labor has called for Mr Ferguson to be sacked as Treasurer and stakeholder minister or risk being censured next week by parliament, in which the minority Liberal government relies for support on independents.
It appears 17 of the 35 lower house MPs would vote no confidence in Mr Ferguson. If one of two independents yet to declare their hands also backs the motion, it will pass, forcing Mr Ferguson to resign – or risk a no-confidence motion in the government. Mr Ferguson has denied misleading parliament.
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Tasmania's deputy premier Michael Ferguson facing backbench demotion from rare no-confidence motion
By state political reporter Adam Langenberg
A well dressed man stands holding a document.
Mr Ferguson could be relegated to the Liberals backbench if the no-confidence motion succeeds. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)
Barring a huge surprise, Tasmanian Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson will suffer a major humiliation on Tuesday, when a majority of lower house MPs send him to the backbench over the Spirit of Tasmania fiasco.
Essentially, Mr Ferguson has challenged Labor and the crossbenchers to a game of political chicken; making it clear that he'll only leave his job if they wrench him out of it in public.
It positions Tuesday as the end point of a long argument.
Is this campaign to kick Mr Ferguson out of the infrastructure portfolio, and now out of cabinet entirely, a political stunt like the government insists?
Or are a majority of MPs holding a senior minister to account over a stuff up of monumental proportions; the failure to build a berth for the new Spirit of Tasmania ships at Devonport in advance of their arrival in the state.
A large, red ferry with a smaller pilot boat in front
The two new Spirit of Tasmania vessels are late and the berth to accommodate them in Devonport has not been built — something which political opponents have laid the feet at Michael Ferguson as infrastructure minister. (Supplied: Spirit of Tasmania)
By refusing to ask for Mr Ferguson's resignation before a no-confidence vote, Premier Jeremy Rockliff is trying to make it look like a political kill; the actions of a vindictive Labor Party trying to cause political chaos.
He said as much in Launceston on Monday morning.
"Tasmanians do not like smear campaigns and the worst of politics," he said.
"What Tasmanians expect is their political representatives to get on with their job in the best interest of Tasmanians and that has been my focus as Premier."
Jeremy Rockliff speaking in front of news microphones, with greenery behind him.
Jeremy Rockliff will be needing to install a new deputy premier and treasurer if Michael Ferguson is brought down. (ABC News: Ashleigh Barraclough)
The Premier wants people to believe there is only one political party focused on fixing the mess and getting on with the job — the Liberals.
Spirit of Tasmania saga escalates
Photo shows Man sitting at board room table speaking to politiciansMan sitting at board room table speaking to politicians
The delivery of two new Spirit of Tasmania vessels has faced significant scrutiny over its repeated delays and cost blowouts. The former chair of the ferry operator has now taken aim at the government over its "appalling" support
And on a week where the government is set to pass its budget, they think the Opposition using their time to kick Mr Ferguson out of his job is a pretty good illustration of that.
But will people feel angry enough or so sympathetic for Mr Ferguson's plight that it outweighs the pain and humiliation of seeing their second in charge literally kicked out of his seat?
It's a big gamble.
It also needs people to buy into Mr Rockliff's "Labor stunt" argument.
And that falls down in a few places.
A woman in a multi coloured jumper speaking to media.
Dr Rosalie Woodruff says Michael Ferguson has a "personal incapacity to be honest with Tasmanians about what's happening in his portfolios". (ABC News: Luke Bowden)
Firstly, it's not just Labor who think Mr Ferguson needs to go.
They're only raising the no-confidence motion because they know they have got another eight MPs on board: five Greens, independents Kristie Johnston and David O'Byrne, and Jacqui Lambie Network MP Andrew Jenner.
That's a lot of other people convinced that there's merit in the motion and believe that Mr Ferguson's mishandled the Spirits fiasco so badly, and failed to be transparent with the public enough that the ultimate punishment is warranted.
And crucially, none of them think it's a stunt.
Jeremy Rockliff and Michael Ferguson at Bridgewater Bridge.
Jeremy Rockliff says Michael Ferguson would be "feeling the effects of being attacked". (Facebook: Jeremy Rockliff)
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said she considered reams of evidence, and thought extremely deeply, before deciding her party would support a no-confidence vote.
"It's no light matter taking a motion of no-confidence against a minister, it's so serious," she said.
"But we've just heard from so many people who were shocked, outraged, appalled at Minister Ferguson's behaviour in the role of managing the Spirits — both as treasurer and previously as infrastructure minister.
"What we could see is a refusal to answer the most basic questions about the costs, and about the timeline and the delivery of the Spirits, so basic that it shows he has a personal incapacity to be honest with Tasmanians about what's happening in his portfolios."
'A breathtaking lack of contrition'
Another of Mr Rockliff's arguments for the motion being a stunt is that Mr Ferguson's already taken responsibility for the Spirit failures by resigning from the infrastructure portfolio.
But plenty of MPs, including Mr O'Byrne, say that's not at all the case.
"I thought when minister Ferguson relinquished the infrastructure portfolio that that contrition by that act was a statement from him as minister that he took responsibility for that," he said.
"But the events of last week and public statements from Mr Ferguson has demonstrated to me a breathtaking lack of contrition in terms of his role in the TT-Line/TasPorts fiasco."
But Mr Ferguson, a Liberal frontbencher from the minute he entered state parliament in 2010, and one of the state's most recognisable and divisive politicians, carries plenty of baggage.
Artist impression of planned ship terminal.
A visualisation of the yet-to-be-built berth for the new Spirit of Tasmania ships, which are due be in service by early next year. (Supplied: TasPorts)
And the Liberals could be forgiven for asking if other ministers, who had already resigned from a portfolio six weeks ago, would face the same consequences that Mr Ferguson will on Tuesday.
He was a controversial health minister regularly derided by the Greens and Labor before he was shuffled out in 2019, who stirred up the crossbench further by announcing service cuts to Metro Tasmania in response to a driver shortage.
Tasmanian Health Minister Michael Ferguson talks to reporters
Mr Ferguson, pictured in 2014 as then-health minister, was eventually moved out of that portfolio. (ABC: Brad Markham)
Often the Liberal Party's attack dog, Mr Ferguson is not afraid to rub his opponents the wrong way — something MPs might struggle to push out of their minds when considering his future.
Opposition leader Dean Winter mentioned health in explaining why Mr Ferguson needed to go on Monday, and Dr Woodruff told reporters it was hard to separate his past from the present.
'It's clear that his past record comes to mind in this situation," she said.
"But we're here talking no-confidence in him because of what's happened with the Spirits, because of his massive stuff up there."
What happens when the motion passes?
Mr Rockliff cleared up one of the last bits of uncertainty on Monday when he confirmed Mr Ferguson would move to the backbench if the motion passes, not carry on as a minister like Liberal frontbencher Eric Abetz had suggested on Sunday.
That's in keeping with convention that a minister or premier have to stand down when the majority of parliamentarians express they no longer have confidence in them continuing in their role.
No confidence motion against embattled Michael Ferguson likely
Photo shows Man speaking in front of microphones to a group of peopleMan speaking in front of microphones to a group of people
Independent MP David O'Byrne has said he will support a no-confidence motion against treasurer Michael Ferguson when parliament resumes on Tuesday.
The last successful no-confidence motion in Tasmania was in 1989 against Liberal premier Robin Gray, leading to his resignation, and Labor's Michael Field coming into power. Another was moved in Labor's Doug Lowe in 1981, and Liberal Harry Holgate in 1982.
They are not normally moved in a minister, meaning there's a lot of uncertainty about what will happen when the motion passes on Tuesday.
But Mr Rockliff will have one hell of a headache.
He will need a new deputy premier, and a treasurer to help get his budget through.
And he may need to reconsider whether he wants to keep playing political chicken going forward.
Contact ABC News
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HE SAID .... Michael entered political life determined to make a real difference and improve the lives of Tasmanians. His vision is “for Tasmanians to be the happiest people, enjoying the best quality of life in Australia”. Michael has committed his time in public life to local, state and Federal levels of government.
Michael grew up, studied and married in Northern Tasmania. He displayed a passion for community work and charitable causes. He achieved two degrees at UTAS, a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Applied Science, developed interests in youth work, radio and politics. He started his own business before working as a high school teacher in 1996.
Michael taught maths, science and IT at state secondary schools. His continued commitment to many community organisations led him to being named Tasmanian Young Australian of the Year for 2002 by the National Australia Day Committee. That year Michael was elected to the Meander Valley Council.
From 2004 to 2007 he served as Federal Member for Bass. In that role he worked on a number of parliamentary and policy committees, secured funding for health, road, infrastructure, education and improved shipping between Tasmania and the Bass Strait Islands. Michael served the Clifford Craig Foundation as CEO, advancing its mission for world class medical research and encouraging more staff specialists to work at the LGH.
In 2010 he was elected as a member of the Tasmanian Parliament and has been returned at each election since.
Michael currently serves the Tasmanian people as Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Infrastructure. Previous portfolios include Health, Finance, Local Government, Housing, State Growth, Small Business, Science & Technology, Police, Fire & Emergency Management, Transport, Planning and Leader of the House.
Michael strongly believes in the values of hard work, self-discipline and personal integrity all underpinned by his Christian faith. He is married to Julie and they have three adult children.
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