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.
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Read more: The system is working
The system is working
7 August 2025 Demands for the Hare Clark voting system to be replaced should be rejected because it is one of the, if not the, most representative of voter’s intentions. The system is more likely to produce a power-sharing House of Assembly but history shows that’s when reforms and progress are made. The Liberal and…
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Read more: MPs need to catch up
MPs need to catch up
14 July 2025 When one part of society changes, it takes time for other affected areas to change. The sociologist, William Ogburn, explained in his book, Social Change with Respect to Culture and Original Nature published in 1922, that a society’s culture had different related parts. All the parts don’t change at the same rate…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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