Inquiry sought into elections

Kingborough Chronicle |  June 29, 2021    

Independent Member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council, Meg Webb, is seeking to establish a Joint Select Committee to inquire into Tasmania’s 2021 House of Assembly and Legislative Council elections.

The Kingborough based Independent Member for Nelson tabled a Notice of Motion on Tuesday, June 22, to establish a Joint Select Committee consisting of four members.

Ms Webb said 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,” Ms Webb said.

“We must put an end to that pattern.

“It is vital public confidence in the conduct of elections is maintained.”

Ms Webb said Parliament can and must play a key role in maintaining that confidence.

“In other jurisdictions this is undertaken through the routine practice of conducting a Parliamentary review or inquiry after each election.

“For example, the Federal Parliament has a Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, which undertakes a routine inquiry after each federal election.”

Ms Webb said the 2021 elections raised a number of concerns, including:

• The legitimacy of the rationale for calling an early election for the House of Assembly.
• Concerns over potential voter disenfranchisement with a failure to provide Legislative Council ballot papers at voting booths beyond the borders of Windemere and Derwent.
• Issues with the preselection and subsequent resignation of Adam Brooks.
• The impact of holding concurrent House of Assembly and Legislative Council elections, 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.”

Ms Webb said a Joint Select Committee will deliver a general review of the administration of the elections, as opposed to the election outcome.

“It is in the public interest to strengthen our democracy and should be a routine priority for Parliament.

“This inquiry will provide a vehicle for Tasmanian citizens and expert stakeholders to raise concerns, provide evidence and suggest improvements or solutions.

“A Joint House approach is the most appropriate way to conduct this inquiry.

“I hope to have the support of colleagues in both chambers to progress the establishment of a Joint House Select Committee for this purpose.

It is particularly important for our Parliament to show leadership and accountability on this, given the fact we have now experienced two elections in a row that have given rise to community questions, concerns and prompted a diminishment of confidence amongst Tasmanian citizens.”

The Kingborough Chronicle wrote to local Labor members David O’Byrne MP, Ella Haddad MP, Bastian Seidel MP and Dean Winter MP and local Liberal members Elise Archer MP, Jacquie Petrusma MP, Nic Street MP and Madeleine Ogilvie MP on June 23, asking: “Do you agree Tasmania’s Parliament should put in place a routine practice of conducting a Parliamentary review or inquiry after each election (as routinely done in other jurisdictions)?”

Responses will be reported in next week’s Kingborough Chronicle.

Read Meg’s Motion calling for a Joint Select Committee