Rockliff Must Come Clean on Limkin’s Departure Package

MEDIA RELEASE - 7 AUGUST 2026

Rockliff Must Come Clean on Limkin’s Departure Package

Premier Jeremy Rockliff must immediately clarify the financial circumstances surrounding the departure of former Department of State Growth Secretary Craig Limkin, whose exit leaves serious unanswered questions for Tasmanian taxpayers.
 
Confirmation today that Mr Limkin has officially left the Tasmanian State Service brings an end to five months of paid leave, but provides very little transparency around the financial terms negotiated by the Government. As one of the highest-paid public servants in the state, Mr Limkin was receiving a reported 2024–25 annual salary of $439,000. He went on paid leave on 7 March 2026, only a few days after Premier Rockliff unexpectedly announced the complete disbandment of State Growth to make way for Building Tasmania.
 
The decision to keep Mr Limkin at arm's length throughout this restructure process makes little administrative sense. As the head of State Growth, he was intimately acquainted with the department and well-positioned to assist the Government through such a massive structural shift. Keeping the department’s top official isolated on leave during an overhaul that caught staff and the public by surprise strongly suggests there is far more to this story than the Government is prepared to disclose. 
 
Taxpayers deserve complete transparency regarding the terms of his departure. According to the standard Head of Agency employment contract tendered by the Premier during Budget Estimates, a terminated Secretary with between one and three years remaining on their term is entitled to 75 per cent of their base salary plus nine months of superannuation. Based on his 2024-25 salary, this equated to around $400,000.  
 
Yet, according to the Premier, he received a $580,000 payout. The public has a right to know what the additional $180,000 is for, and whether the Premier has approved a 'golden handshake'.  
 
I have been asking questions about the Limkin matter for months, but this announcement raises more questions than it answers. 
 
At a time when hundreds of millions of dollars are being cut from health and education budgets, Premier Rockliff must come clean with Parliament and the public about the size of the payout and the reasons behind Mr Limkin's prolonged absence and departure.