Elite Cartels that Hide in Plain Sight

Tasmania‘s Tragic Tale

In a remarkable piece of breaking news, the Premier of Tasmania, Jeremy Rockliff, has announced he wants to root out corruption and secrecy in the state. His new taskforce will include Walter White from Breaking Bad as head of the amalgamated GBEs and Shakespeare’s Prince Hamlet to run the Integrity Commission.

“With their expertise, we’ll be turning tragedy into triumph!” Rockliff declared.

Just in case you need this explaining, the above headline is a work of fiction. But when it comes to the lack of transparency within the Tasmanian stage government, the facts are all too true.

Every Action Has a Consequence

In the world of Breaking Bad, Walter White’s descent into the criminal underworld is characterised by secrecy, manipulation, and the creation of a powerful empire hidden from public view.

Spoiler alert: It doesn’t end well for any of the characters.

While the stakes in Tasmania may not involve drug cartels, the state’s governance is similarly dominated by secrecy and an unhealthy concentration of power. A particularly relevant example of this is the role of Tasmanian Government Business Enterprises (GBEs), which have often operated under a veil of opacity, much like the illicit empire of Walter White.

GBEs are meant to serve the public interest, operating in essential sectors like energy, water, and transport. However, like Walter White’s empire growing unchecked in the shadows, many of Tasmania’s GBEs function without sufficient oversight, with significant decisions being made behind closed doors. Their role in the state economy has given them substantial influence—an influence that until recently was unexamined by the public and the media.

The Most Secretive Government in Australia?

Jeremy Rockliff has been criticised for his secrecy when it comes to government dealings, especially regarding the operation of these GBEs. Much like Walter White’s method of conducting business without scrutiny, Rockliff’s government has often been described as “the most secretive in Australia“.

This secrecy undermines accountability, making it difficult for the public to understand how decisions are being made or who is benefiting from them. In the Breaking Bad universe, Walter White’s refusal to let go of power leads to devastating consequences for those around him. Similarly, the lack of transparency around Tasmania’s GBEs and the secrecy surrounding the Rockliff government could have long-term consequences for the state’s development, governance, and the public’s trust in its leaders.

Tasmania’s Integrity Commission is still investigating a state member of parliament over allegations they failed to declare and manage a conflict of interest in policy and expenditure decisions. This is rumbling into its fourth year.

Influence Reveals Intentions

If I described Tasmania as being run by an elite cartel, would that sound too harsh? A recent paper from the University of Sussex highlights just that, with the dominance of elite cartels in Tasmania, drawing a clear parallel to the secretive and insular power structures seen in other regions (University of Sussex, 2025).

These cartels are not based on illegal bribery or kickbacks but rather the manipulation of decision-making processes through influential networks that exist behind the scenes. They maintain power by controlling key sectors, stifling competition, and bypassing formal channels of accountability. As the paper suggests, this subtle form of corruption, operating under the guise of “business as usual,” undermines democratic processes and harms the public interest.

Corrupting Influence of Power

Shakespeare’s Hamlet explores the corrupting influence of power through its central political themes, revealing how unchecked ambition and the pursuit of authority can poison a kingdom.

Spoiler alert: It doesn’t end well for any of the characters.

Prince Hamlet himself grapples with the moral decay he witnesses in Denmark, famously declaring, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” Despite identifying the issues, he ultimately becomes part of the problem. His tragic flaw was his inability to act swiftly and decisively.

In Tasmania, this rotting influence can be seen in the power struggles that have allowed elite cartels to entrench themselves and operate with little regard for transparency. Like the political ambition that corrupts Denmark’s court, the secrecy surrounding the Tasmanian Government has allowed a concentration of power that undermines the state’s democratic principles. The moral decay that Hamlet observes mirrors the erosion of public trust in Tasmania’s governance, where the consequences of unchecked political ambition are growing ever clearer.

These cartels, operating behind the scenes, manipulate decision, making in ways that benefit insiders at the cost of the broader public, whether through questionable government contracts, privatisation of services, or the sidelining of alternative viewpoints in key policy areas.

A classic example of this is the Development Assessment Panel. It removes certain planning decisions from elected councils to a panel that reports directly into a state government minister. Legislation passed the lower house last year, only to be rejected by one vote in the upper chamber.

Without an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) to investigate and address these issues, the system remains closed off, allowing these cartels to thrive unchecked. The existing Integrity Commission is toothless, according to the Australian Institute.

At least Hamlet identified the problem. Premier Rockliff is in denial that there is even a problem. And that problem is the fundamental transparency issues that hinder effective governance.

His failure to improve public access to information, establish an independent corruption watchdog, and ensure proper oversight of government-run enterprises allows the secrecy and elite control to persist, undermining public trust and accountability in the state’s political system. Until these transparency issues are tackled, the elite cartels and the resulting corruption will continue to thrive.

The Legislative Council Must Remain Independent

This is not just a Liberal Party problem. Historically Tasmanian Labor have been just as bad at transparency.

The Legislative Council (LC) plays a crucial role in Tasmania’s governance by providing essential oversight of the state government. However, for this role to be truly effective, the LC must remain independent from the state government.

Currently, many Upper House members are in the government, which creates a conflict of interest and undermines the chamber’s ability to serve as a genuine check on power. If the LC is to fulfil its duty of scrutinising legislation, holding the government accountable, and ensuring that decisions are made in the public interest, it must be free from political party influence.

The rejection of the DAP Bill is one example of the upper house scrutinising the lower house, but that legislation is coming back.

Without this independence, Tasmania risks further entrenching the very networks of influence and cronyism that perpetuate the dominance of Elite Cartels, limiting the transparency and fairness that the public deserves.

The Unravelling of Secrecy and Power

Spoiler Alert: In the worlds of Breaking Bad and Hamlet, everything seems to be going smoothly—until it all unravels. It doesn’t end well for any of the characters.

Similarly, Tasmania’s current path, shrouded in secrecy and dominated by powerful insiders, will eventually lead to the same consequences.

But in this story, the characters the lose out include all Tasmanians.