Media Release – Lower House Restoration

Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb today warned the Rockliff Liberal Government to keep faith with the Tasmanian community when it restores the State’s House of Assembly to 35 seats.

Ms Webb said she was deeply concerned about vested interests pushing for a new system of seven electorates versus the current – and historic – five of Bass, Braddon, Clark, Franklin and Lyons.

“We know the two major parties stitched up the cut in Parliamentary numbers in 1998 to try and keep out minor parties and independents,” Ms Webb said.

“How ironic it would be if the change to our Parliamentary numbers was again driven by the political self-interest of the major parties, rather than improving the democratic representation of the Tasmanian community.”

Ms Webb said the lesson from 1998 was that trying to distort Parliament to suit the vested interests of political parties is not in the best public interest.

“It is ludicrous and insulting to suggest that the damage to our democracy in 1998 can be ‘fixed’ by further undermining the integrity of our much-valued Hare-Clark system.

“Attempts to lock in an electoral advantage for the two major parties at the expense of broader community and independent representation is clearly driven by opportunistic vested interests.”

Ms Webb said any attempt to push seven electorates of five seats each is clearly intended to produce more of the same – electorates dominated by Liberal and Labor.

“This would be at the expense of democratic opportunities for Tasmanians holding different opinions and perspectives to also be represented in our Parliament. 

“Tasmanians need to ask themselves why the big end of town is so hell-bent to keep ignoring all the independent advice on this matter which has stated repeatedly the most effective, efficient and fair system for the Assembly is the current five electorates each returning seven members of Parliament.”

Ms Webb said there have been numerous independent expert reviews on the question of numbers within the Hare-Clark system.

“Every single one of them has explicitly supported seven members in each electorate as the most democratically representative model.

“I call on the Premier to be transparent with the Tasmanian people on his intentions on this crucial issue and to release publicly the advice he has received from the Tasmanian Electoral Commission.”