TAS: Premier prepares to address press on Butler resignation

AAP General News (Australia)
08-10-2004
TAS: Premier prepares to address press on Butler resignation

By Libby Sutherland

HOBART, Aug 10 AAP - The resignation of Tasmanian Governor Richard Butler showed the
system for vice-regal appointments needed to be modernised, a leading republican said
today.

Mr Butler resigned last night, citing a malicious campaign against him that would damage
the good name of Tasmania if he continued in the role.

The avowed republican quit after a three-hour crisis meeting with Tasmanian Premier
Paul Lennon, amid allegations Mr Butler and wife Jennifer behaved badly during their 10
months at Government House.

Mr Lennon will hold a media conference on the issue at 11am (AEST) today.

Australian Republican Movement chairman John Warhurst said he believed a lack of bipartisanship
brought Mr Butler down.

"I suppose what the republican movement gets out of this whole episode, following on
the Hollingworth affair, is that we need to modernise our means of appointing governors,"

he told ABC radio.

"I think essentially it was the lack of bipartisanship which brought Richard Butler
down, as well as other Tasmanian factors that I am probably not across.

"But it is necessity for bipartisanship, which I think is essential to make the appointment
process more modern, more democratic, more in tune with 21st century Australia."

Tasmanian federal Labor MP Duncan Kerr said the resignation of Mr Butler, which follows
the death in June of former premier Jim Bacon, was like a Shakespearean tragedy.

"I'm certain that some of the instances that people have drawn on to make criticism
of Governor Butler reflected on decisions or conduct that he has made," Mr Kerr told ABC
radio.

"But perhaps he was in a sense a victim of the death of Jim Bacon - the man who appointed
him - left in circumstances where his mentor had passed away. And if you were Shakespearean
about it, you would say this was the stuff of tragedy.

"You actually had the opportunity for greatness and for a huge advantage for the state,
and for reasons that still seem elusive we've lost that chance."

But fellow federal Labor MP Harry Quick, who had called for Mr Butler's resignation,
welcomed his demise.

"Thankfully the whole thing was resolved last night and we can close a sad chapter
in our history," he said.

"Paul Lennon must have drawn a line in the sand and said `enough is enough'".

Mr Quick said he believed Mr Butler was pompous and arrogant and treated people with
disdain while living in the best piece of real estate in Tasmania and being paid a salary
beyond most people's wildest dreams.

He called for wider community consultation in appointing Mr Butler's replacement, which
is tipped to be Tasmania's chief justice and Lieutenant Governor William Cox.

Mr Quick suggested Hobart Lord Mayor Rob Valentine could also prove a suitable choice
for the role.

AAP las/tma/jlw

KEYWORD: BUTLER DAYLEAD

2004 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.