Is there a government reform push in Tasmania?
Parliamentary reform has recently been a big political topic in Tasmania. Three ‘problems’ with the current system are often touted as reasons for reform: • The large number of members of parliament, 25 in the lower house and 15 in the upper house, although down from 35 and 19, is still extremely wasteful for a state with a population of less than 500,000. • The upper house, which is perceived by some as too conservative and interfering, needs to be abolished or have its powers curtailed. • The current system favours smaller parties too much, resulting in political ‘gridlock’ and instability. The recent reduction in the size of parliament has muted calls for more drastic reform, and popular opinion indicate that it would be unlikely for radical steps (such as abolition of the upper house) to pass a referrendum. In fact, following the 2006 state election, some observers expressed the opinion that the cut from 35 to 25 members in the lower house has been detrimental to good government.
