Blog
Welcome to our blog where you can keep up to date on our thoughts about
governance, democracy, accountability and transparency in Tasmania.
Click on the headline to read more.
-
Read more: Integrity: candidates don’t care
Integrity: candidates don’t care
14 July 2025 Only 12 of 151 candidates seeking election next Saturday responded to a Tasmanian Constitution Society survey about integrity in politics. Of the 161 candidates seeking election, the TCS could not find email addresses for 10 of them. Of the 151 emails sent, 20 bounced. All 12 candidates who responded were independents, including…
-
Read more: An important democratic event
An important democratic event
30 May 2025 There was an important ceremony at the entrance of the Legislative Council this morning: the declaration of the Nelson and Pembroke polls. Tasmanian Electoral Commission officials declared Meg Webb, above, and Luke Edmunds the respective winners. The successful and unsuccessful candidates made brief speeches. As well as thanking their supporters, and the Tasmanian Electoral…
-
Read more: Another minority benefit
Another minority benefit
6 January 2025 The report by independent economist Dr Nicholas Gruen about the Hobart stadium is a reminder of the benefits of minority government. One of the conditions for the Jacqui Lambie Network to support a Liberal minority government after the March election was a report about the Liberals’ stadium proposal. As the Mercury reported on…
-
Read more: Not sitting enough
Not sitting enough
2 January 2025 The Mercury’s Political Editor, David Killick’s reports in today’s Mercury newspaper on the House of Assembly’s sitting days and bills passed in 2024. The government determines the sitting days. One of the House of Assembly’s roles is to hold the executive to account. Fewer sitting days means less accountability. Parliamentary sessions can be unpredictable and…
-
Read more: Parliament working
Parliament working
17 December 2024 Tumultuous times It’s been a tumultuous time for the government but a great one for the parliament. There was Australia’s biggest infrastructure debacle, the huge budget deficit and the continuing health crisis. The government’s commitment continued to our priorities of accountability, democracy and transparency continued to be questionable. Forty percent of Right…
-
Read more: Doomsayers proved wrong
Doomsayers proved wrong
17 December 2024 It’s been a tumultuous time for the Tasmanian minority Liberal government but a great one for the parliament. Parliament’s roles include keeping the executive to account and passing legislation and on both counts Tasmania’s 51st parliament has succeeded. The same cannot be said for the government and opposition. Debacle The government oversaw…
Tasmanian Constitution Society 