Parliament of Tasmania: Difference between revisions

Parliament of Tasmania
Parliament of Tasmania
51st Parliament
	Coat of arms of Tasmania
	Tasmanian Parliament logo
Type
Type	Bicameral
Houses	Legislative Council; House of Assembly
Sovereign	Governor of Tasmania
History
Founded	2 December 1856; 168 years ago
Leadership
Governor	Barbara Baker ; since 16 June 2021
President of the Legislative Council	Craig Farrell, Labor ; since 21 May 2019
Speaker of the House of Assembly	Michelle O'Byrne, Labor ; since 14 May 2024
Premier	Jeremy Rockliff, Liberal ; since 8 April 2022
Leader of the Opposition	Dean Winter, Labor ; since 10 April 2024
Structure
Seats	50 MPs; 35 MHAs; 15 MLCs
House of Assembly political groups	Government (14) Liberal (14); Opposition (10) Labor (10); Crossbench (11) Greens (5); Lambie Network (1); Independent (5);
Legislative Council political groups	Government (4) Liberal (4); Opposition (3) Labor (3); Crossbench (8) Greens (1); Independent (7);
Elections
House of Assembly voting system	Proportional representation via Hare-Clark system (STV)
Legislative Council voting system	Partial Preferential (IRV)
Last general election	23 March 2024
Next general election	TBD
Meeting place
	Parliament House, Hobart, ; Tasmania, Australia
Website
	parliament.tas.gov.au

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Latest revision as of 00:55, 11 January 2025

The Parliament of Tasmania is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Tasmania. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of the governor of Tasmania (as representative of the King), the Legislative Council (the upper house), and the House of Assembly (the lower house).^[1] Since 1841, the Legislative Council has met in Parliament House, Hobart, with the House of Assembly following suit from its establishment in 1856. The Parliament of Tasmania first met in 1856.

The powers of the Parliament are prescribed in the Constitution of Tasmania. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, Tasmania has been a state of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Constitution of Australia regulates its relationship with the Commonwealth. Under the Australian Constitution, Tasmania ceded certain legislative and judicial powers to the Commonwealth, but retained complete independence in all other areas.

The leader of the party or coalition with the confidence of the House of Assembly is invited by the governor to form the Government and become the premier of Tasmania.

Throughout its history, the Tasmanian Parliament frequently had members who previously served in Federal Parliament proportionally more so than the other state and territory parliaments.

The Government currently consists of a Liberal Lambie minority government, formed after the 2024 State Election. The Second Rockliff ministry consists of solely Liberal members.

History

The island of Van Diemen's Land (now known as Tasmania) was claimed and subsequently settled by the United Kingdom in 1803. Initially, it was administered by the governor of New South Wales, as part of that British Colony of New South Wales. In 1825, Van Diemen's Land became a separate British colony, administered separately from New South Wales, with a Legislative Council of six men appointed to advise the lieutenant governor of Van Diemen's Land who had sole governance of the colony. The Council initially held meetings in a room adjacent to the old Government House that was located near to the present site of Franklin Square, but by 1841 they relocated meetings to the 'Long Room' (now the Members' Lounge) in the Customs House.^[4]

In 1850, the British Parliament enacted the Australian Colonies Government Act, which gave Van Diemen's Land the right to elect its first representative government. The size of the Legislative Council was increased from six to 24. Eight members were appointed by the Governor, and 16 were elected by property owners. The new Legislative Council met for the first time in 1852, and by 1854 they had passed the Tasmanian Constitution Act, giving Van Diemen's Land responsible self-government and a new bicameral parliament. Queen Victoria granted Royal assent in 1855 and Van Diemen's Land became a self-governing colony. In the following year, 1856, one of the new parliament's first acts was to change the name of the colony from Van Diemen's Land to Tasmania.

Houses of Parliament

House of Assembly

The Tasmanian House of Assembly is the lower house of the Tasmanian Parliament. There are 35 members, with seven members elected from the five divisions.^[5]^[6] The divisions are: Bass, Braddon, Denison, Franklin, and Lyons. The Tasmanian House of Assembly electoral divisions share the same names and boundaries as the Australian House of Representatives divisions for Tasmania.

Members are elected using the Hare-Clark voting system of multi-member proportional representation for a term of up to 4 years.^[d]

Current distribution of seats

The current distribution of seats is:

Party	Seats held	Percentage
Liberal	14	40.0%
Labor	10	28.6%
Greens	5	14.3%
Independent	5	14.3%
Lambie	1	2.8%

Electorate	Seats won
Bass
Braddon
Clark
Franklin
Lyons

	Liberal
	Labor
	Greens
	Independent
	Lambie

Legislative Council

The Tasmanian Legislative Council is the upper house of the Tasmanian Parliament. It has 15 members, each elected from a single-member electoral division. The boundaries of the divisions are reviewed by tribunal every 9 years.^[8]

Elections are conducted annually on a 6-year periodic cycle; 3 divisions will be up for election in May one year, then 2 divisions in May the following year and so on. As such, each member will normally serve a term of 6 years.

Current distribution of seats

The current distribution of seats (updated post 2024 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election is:

Party	Seats held	Percentage
Independents	7	46.7%
Liberal Party	4	26.7%
Labor Party	3	20.0%
Greens	1	6.7%

Electorate	Seats won
Derwent
Elwick
Hobart
Huon
Launceston
McIntyre
Mersey
Montgomery
Murchison
Nelson
Pembroke
Prosser
Rosevears
Rumney
Windermere

	Independent
	Liberal
	Labor
	Greens

Notes

^ Unlike most of the other states, the governor of Tasmania is explicitly listed as a constituent part of Parliament, instead of merely acting in the King’s name.^[1]^[2]
^ Two Independent MHAs, David O'Byrne & Kristie Johnston have signed a confidence and supply agreement with the Government
^ Current independent MLCs: Rosemary Armitage (Launceston), Ruth Forrest (Murchison), Mike Gaffney (Mersey), Dean Harriss (Huon), Tania Rattray (McIntyre), Bec Thomas (Elwick), Meg Webb (Nelson).^[3]
^ Since 1976; prior to 1976, the maximum term of the Assembly was five years.^[7]

References

Specific references

^ ^a ^b Constitution Act 1934 (Tas) s 10. "The Governor and the Legislative Council and House of Assembly shall together constitute the Parliament of Tasmania."
^ Carney, Gerard (2006). The Constitutional Systems of the Australian States and Territories. Cambridge University Press. pp. 78–79. ISBN 9780521863056.
^ "Members of the Tasmanian Legislative Council (as of 6 June 2019)" (PDF). Parliament of Tasmania. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
^ "Tasmanian Parliament". Parliament.tas.gov.au. Retrieved 2011-07-09.
^ "Expansion of House of Assembly Act 2022". legislation.tas.gov.au.
^ Matt Maloney (17 November 2022). "Tasmania's House of Assembly to have 35 members in 2025 - if not sooner". The Examiner.
^ Constitution Act 1972 (Tas) s.79
^ "Tasmanian Legislative Council". Tasmanian Electoral Commission. 2006-09-08. Archived from the original on 2006-03-01.

General references

"Tasmanian Parliament". Parliament of Tasmania. 2023-07-21.

External links

Parliament of Tasmania

42°53′07″S 147°19′49″E / 42.88528°S 147.33028°E / -42.88528; 147.33028

[3] Unlike most of the other states, the governor of Tasmania is explicitly listed as a constituent part of Parliament, instead of merely acting in the King’s name.^[1]^[2]

[4] Two Independent MHAs, David O'Byrne & Kristie Johnston have signed a confidence and supply agreement with the Government

[6] Current independent MLCs: Rosemary Armitage (Launceston), Ruth Forrest (Murchison), Mike Gaffney (Mersey), Dean Harriss (Huon), Tania Rattray (McIntyre), Bec Thomas (Elwick), Meg Webb (Nelson).^[3]

[11] Since 1976; prior to 1976, the maximum term of the Assembly was five years.^[7]

[CAs10-1] Constitution Act 1934 (Tas) s 10. "The Governor and the Legislative Council and House of Assembly shall together constitute the Parliament of Tasmania."

[2] Carney, Gerard (2006). The Constitutional Systems of the Australian States and Territories. Cambridge University Press. pp. 78–79. ISBN 9780521863056.

[5] "Members of the Tasmanian Legislative Council (as of 6 June 2019)" (PDF). Parliament of Tasmania. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2017.

[autogenerated1-7] "Tasmanian Parliament". Parliament.tas.gov.au. Retrieved 2011-07-09.

[8] "Expansion of House of Assembly Act 2022". legislation.tas.gov.au.

[9] Matt Maloney (17 November 2022). "Tasmania's House of Assembly to have 35 members in 2025 - if not sooner". The Examiner.

[10] Constitution Act 1972 (Tas) s.79

[12] "Tasmanian Legislative Council". Tasmanian Electoral Commission. 2006-09-08. Archived from the original on 2006-03-01.

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v t e Members of the Parliament of Tasmania
House of Assembly	1856–1861 1861–1862 1862–1866 1866–1871 1871–1872 1872–1877 1877–1882 1882–1886 1886–1891 1891–1893 1893–1897 1897–1900 1900–1903 1903–1906 1906–1909 1909–1912 1912–1913 1913–1916 1916–1919 1919–1922 1922–1925 1925–1928 1928–1931 1931–1934 1934–1937 1937–1941 1941–1946 1946–1948 1948–1950 1950–1955 1955–1956 1956–1959 1959–1964 1964–1969 1969–1972 1972–1976 1976–1979 1979–1982 1982–1986 1986–1989 1989–1992 1992–1996 1996–1998 1998–2002 2002–2006 2006–2010 2010–2014 2014–2018 2018–2021 2021–2024 2024–2028
Legislative Council	1879–1885 1885–1891 1891–1897 1897–1903 1903–1909 1909–1915 1915–1921 1921–1927 1927–1933 1933–1939 1939–1945 1945–1951 1951–1957 1957–1963 1963–1969 1969–1975 1975–1981 1981–1987 1987–1993 1993–1999 1999–2005 2002–2006 2005–2011 2006–2010 2010–2014 2011–2017 2017–2023 2023–2029

v t e Government of Tasmania
Executive	Monarchy Governor Premier Deputy Premier Cabinet Police
Legislative	Parliament House of Assembly Legislative Council Electoral divisions MHAs MLCs President of the Legislative Council Speaker of the House of Assembly Opposition Leader
Judicial	Supreme Court Magistrates Court Coroners Court

v t e Tasmania
General	Ecology Economy Education Energy Flag Geography Geology Government History Local Government Parliament Police Politics Rail transport Sport Symbols List of Tasmanians
Regions	Central Highlands East Coast Midlands North East North West South East South West West Coast
Cities	Burnie Devonport Hobart Launceston

Latest revision as of 00:55, 11 January 2025

History

Houses of Parliament

House of Assembly

Current distribution of seats

Legislative Council

Current distribution of seats

See also

Notes

References

Specific references

General references

External links