I asked Mr Barnett whether taxpayer-funded legal assistance was being used to take Integrity Commission matters to the Supreme Court and prevent findings from being made public.

He called the question unfair and unfounded - but he did not deny it.

We already know Premier Rockliff has admitted two former Liberal Ministers have been involved in secret legal matters with the Integrity Commission, with Tasmanians left paying close to $1 million in legal costs across both sides of the disputes.

We also know the Integrity Commission has confirmed Supreme Court action can prevent one of its reports from being released.

Now, a further $108,000 in taxpayer-funded legal assistance has been approved for the former Chair of the Heritage Council to take action in the Supreme Court.

If that matter has nothing to do with the Integrity Commission, Mr Barnett could simply have said so.

This is an extremely concerning pattern under Premier Rockliff’s Government – secret proceedings, taxpayer-funded lawyers and Integrity Commission matters being fought through the Supreme Court.

It seems clear the Government has a strategy at play here: using taxpayers’ money to take Integrity Commission matters to Court, just so Commission findings are kept hidden from the public.

Tasmanians are paying the bills. They deserve to know whether their money is being used to stop Integrity Commission findings from seeing the light of day.