Cassy ashamed of fines

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:29:06 EST

GREENS minister Cassy O'Connor has today expressed her shame at being "too busy" to pay dozens of parking fines.

GREENS Minister Cassy O'Connor admitted yesterday she was "not proud" of failing to pay council parking fines over several years.

The Human Services and Community Development Minister said: "It doesn't send a good message and I'm not proud of this at all, but I am human. I've made a mistake and I've dealt with that mistake." Opposition Leader Will Hodgman accused her of lacking the ability to handle the pressures of a ministerial portfolio after Ms O'Connor said she was "too busy" to pay the debts.She said they were accumulated before.

Yes, Minister O'Connor you ought to be ashamed of your embarrassment. A serial fines avoider from a poorly performing Minister who is also not fulfilling her obligations to the community by denying vital funding to people with disabilities. Eskleigh Foundation provides a Tasmania - wide service for accommodating and supporting people with disabilities, and has carried out this community service for more than 60 years. Why then Minister, are you cruelly denying Eskleigh that $123,000 it desperately needs to plug the deficit in its budget to enable it to maintain a full house at its Perth Home, and fill the three empty beds with willing residents presently imprisoned at the Launceston General Hospital at a cost of 1,621,000 for the next 12 months? Focus on FUNDING ESKLEIGH FIRST, Minister. One has to question your focus when something as simple as paying a parking ticket left under your wiper blade on your car cannot be noticed ?......... Posted by: Leonie Irons 5:53am Saturday