Michael Ferguson – who will always be remembered as the architect of the Spirits fiasco – has been exposed for causing another major disaster for Tasmania’s economy.

In 2022, Mr Ferguson told the House the Government itself had approached GFG after the previous owner was considering TEMCO’s future.

“The Government made an approach to the Gupta Family Group and then engaged with the Office of the Coordinator-General,” he said at the time.

He went on to tell the parliament that a later engagement with Mr Gupta left him feeling “pretty special”, because the disgraced businessman had said “some very kind things about me”.

After pointing the finger to Sanjeev Gupta to explain the collapse of Liberty Bell Bay in Question Time today, Minister Duigan couldn’t point to any due diligence undertaken by the Government before “working hard” to bring GFG to Tasmania.

Given we now know Michael Ferguson had been swept off his feet by a smooth-talking corporate cowboy, it’s clear the Liberals didn’t undertake any due diligence at all.

In Greek myth, King Midas turned anything he touched to gold. In Tasmanian reality, Michael’s touch does the opposite.