Inquiry into Tasmanian elections the only way to clear the air

Talking Point | Mercury| June 29, 2021   

I accept the results, but genuine concerns from across the political spectrum must be put to rest.

IN most industries, to regularly review your processes is standard practice  — that’s the way you identify issues and opportunities, learn lessons and drive improvement.

Politics should be no different. Tasmanians deserve no less when it comes to maintaining our democracy in the best shape possible.

For that reason, I have called for a Joint Select Committee inquiry into this year’s elections for the House of Assembly and Legislative Council.

A Joint Select Committee will deliver a general review of the administration and conduct of the recent elections, as opposed to their outcomes.

It is in the public interest to strengthen our democracy and should be a matter of routine priority, just as it is in the federal parliament. There, federal Labor and Liberal MPs participate in the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, holding inquiries into the conduct of all federal elections as a matter of course.

It’s time for our state parliament to follow suit and provide a vehicle for Tasmanian citizens and expert stakeholders to raise concerns, provide evidence and suggest improvements or solutions.

A committee involving both Houses of Parliament is the most appropriate way to conduct this inquiry.

It is particularly important for our parliament to show leadership and accountability, given the fact we have now had two elections in a row that have given rise to community questions, concerns and eroded the confidence of Tasmanian citizens in this pillar of their democracy.

I note that the substantial ABC Australia Talks 2021 survey shows Tasmania to be the only state in the nation where trust in politicians has gone down even further in the past two years. That survey showed three in four Tasmanians disagreeing with the statement: “Politicians can be trusted to act in the interests of the people they represent.”

What a tragic result for our state, and what an indictment on us as Tasmanian politicians.

We need to do more. It’s time for Tasmanian parliamentarians to step up and take responsibility to turn this around.

I can already hear the naysayers: “Move on … accept the results etc.”

I do accept the result, the return of the Liberal government in the Lower House and the results in Derwent and Windermere, but this inquiry is the only responsible course of action to put serious and genuine concerns to rest and work to ensure they need not arise again.

Many everyday Tasmanians were made both angry and frustrated by the elections, as well as many state political experts and commentators, including former politicians across the political spectrum.

When such a range of persistent and real concerns are raised, it goes to the heart of the integrity of Tasmanian democracy and governance.

To sweep those issues under the carpet would be both disrespectful and a grave disservice to the state.

Therefore, the Tasmanian parliament must accept its responsibility to act on behalf of the overall community.

The proposed Joint Select Committee will provide a fair and equitable representation of all sides of politics and independents. It will be up to the Liberal government to choose to participate in good faith.

From my perspective, this should be a no-brainer for all parliamentarians to support.

There is no reason to baulk at this proposal, unless you prefer your democracy under the cloud of unresolved questions and are happy to see public confidence plummet when it comes to the governance of Tasmania.

Elections are a fundamental right of the Tasmanian people.

We are now seeing a pattern of Tasmanian voters losing confidence in the integrity of our elections and their politicians. We must put an end to that pattern.

The 2021 elections raised a number of concerns, including:

 –    The legitimacy of the rationale for calling an early election for the House of Assembly; Potential voter disenfranchisement, with a failure to provide Legislative Council ballot papers at voting booths beyond the borders of Windermere and Derwent

 –    Issues with the preselection and subsequent resignation of Adam Brooks

 –    The impact of concurrent House of Assembly and Legislative Council elections for the first time, including clarity on how the financial benefit accrued from the Lower House election campaigning activities will be assessed against the legislated restrictions applied to Legislative Council elections.

Governments like to challenge others with the line “if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about.”

In the Tasmanian parliament, we should be able to say that integrity, accountability and transparency are our core business.

A Joint Select Committee is an important step in making that the truth.

See Meg’s Motion calling for a JSC