Former Tasmanian Liberal minister Jane Howlett was questioned on Friday by the House of Assembly Select Committee on Caretaker Conventions regarding a statutory declaration she tabled in parliament and claims of a publicly funded staffer working on her election campaign.
During the committee hearing, Ms Howlett declined to confirm the ongoing accuracy of a statutory declaration that asserted her former chief of staff was unaware of TasRacing’s intention to issue public communications about the Liberal Party’s TasInsure policy. This declaration has come under scrutiny after the committee obtained an email from Corcomms Executive Chairman Nick Turner, whose firm manages TasRacing’s communications. The email, dated July 2, 2025, and titled “message to industry,” reportedly outlined the wording for distribution and was sent to Ms Howlett’s chief of staff.
Committee deputy chair Dean Winter highlighted that making a false statement in a statutory declaration carries a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment under section 113 of the Criminal Code Act 1924. Ms Howlett responded that she would need to seek advice and maintained there was “no evidence that it’s false.”
Ms Howlett also faced questioning over allegations that a Ministerial and Parliamentary Services staffer, Shari Ann Minnikin-Smith, performed campaign duties for her during the 2024 election. Ms Minnikin-Smith told the committee she undertook campaign work and sent a campaign email using her parliamentary account at 9:03 pm on March 22, 2024, the night before the state election, stating it was “in the work time” and “not my mistake.”
In response, Ms Howlett denied instructing Ms Minnikin-Smith to use her parliamentary email, describing it as an error for which the staffer had apologised. Ms Howlett rejected the claim that Ms Minnikin-Smith worked on her campaign, stating the staffer was employed by Ministerial and Parliamentary Services and volunteered for the Liberal Party in the Lyons electorate. She further stated, “I don’t know if she used public resources or not,” and referred to an ongoing investigation initiated by the Premier into the matter.
It was also revealed during the committee hearing that Ms Minnikin-Smith had previously initiated a dispute against Ms Howlett at the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT), a matter that had not been publicly disclosed. Premier Jeremy Rockliff has stated his understanding that no taxpayer funds were used for this TASCAT matter.
Ms Howlett resigned from cabinet in June of this year following a dispute concerning a $400,000 legal bill related to a confidential Supreme Court case. She continues to serve as the member for Lyons.
Readers seeking more information on these proceedings can refer to the original reporting by Pulse Tasmania.