2025 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election
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3 of the 15 seats in the Legislative Council 8 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||
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The 2025 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election is scheduled to be held on 3 May 2025 to elect three members of the Tasmanian Legislative Council. The seats of Montgomery, Nelson and Pembroke will be up for election.[1]
Background
[edit]Unlike other Australian state parliaments, the Tasmanian House of Assembly is elected from multi-member districts, while the Legislative Council is elected from single-member districts.[2] The reverse is the case in most of the rest of Australia; that is, the lower house is elected from single-member districts while the upper house is elected from multi-member districts.[2]
The Legislative Council has 15 seats, with members elected to a six-year term.[3] Elections are staggered, alternating between three seats in one year and in two seats the next year, taking place on the first Saturday in May.[2][3]
Tasmanian's upper house is unique in Australian politics, in that historically it is the only chamber in any state parliament to be significantly non-partisan.[4][5] As of 2024, the chamber has a plurality of independents, although it has previously had an outright independent majority.[6][7]
Electoral system
[edit]Legislative Council elections use partial preferential voting and the Robson Rotation.[8] In elections with four or less candidates, full preferential voting is effectively used, but for seats with five or more candidates, voters only have to number at least three boxes.[9][10]
- Where there are more than 3 candidates, at least number 1, 2 and 3
- Where there are 3 candidates, at least number 1 and 2
- Where there are 2 candidates, at least number 1
Montgomery
[edit]The seat of Montgomery in northwest Tasmania has been held by Leonie Hiscutt of the Liberal Party since 2013; she announced on 16 May 2024 that she would not seek re-election.[11] Hiscutt's son Casey Hiscutt a Central Coast councillor announced on the same day he would run as an independent and was endorsed by her.[12] The former Senator for Tasmania and President of the Senate Stephen Parry was announced on 15 June 2024 as the Liberal Party candidate.[13] On 23 August 2024 Gatty Burnett stated she planned to run for the seat, as apart of a new political party called 'Tasmanians Now'.[14]
Nelson
[edit]The seat of Nelson, based in the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, has been held by independent member Meg Webb since 2019. Butcher Marcus Vermey was announced on 23 June 2024 as the Liberal Party candidate.[15]
Pembroke
[edit]The seat of Pembroke, based in the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, has been held by Labor Party member Luke Edmunds since 2022.
References
[edit]- ^ "About Legislative Council elections". Tasmanian Electoral Commission. 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
- ^ a b c Raue, Ben. "Tasmanian Legislative Council elections, 2024". The Tally Room. Archived from the original on 23 August 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ a b Bowe, William (3 May 2024). "Tasmanian upper house elections: Hobart, Prosser, Elwick". The Poll Bludger. Archived from the original on 21 June 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "Government and society in Tasmania". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 20 June 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "What is the Legislative Council?". Meg Webb MLC. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ Forbes, Scott (21 August 2014). "The apple in Val Schier's eye: Former mayor heads to Tasmania and attempts new tilt in politics". Cairns Post. Archived from the original on 21 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ Crowley, Kate; Lippis, Joshua. "Independents in Tasmania's Legislative Council: Analysing strategies to achieve influence" (PDF). Australasian Study of Parliament Group. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 May 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "Voting systems in Tasmania - A summary". Tasmanian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 2 August 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "How Should We Solve The Problem Of Unintended Informal Voting?". Dr Kevin Bonham. 23 July 2020. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "Preferential Voting in Single Member Electorates - Tasmania". Electoral Council of Australia and New Zealand. Archived from the original on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ Hiscutt, Leonie (16 May 2024). "Statement from Leonie Hiscutt". Tasmanian Government. Archived from the original on 16 May 2024.
- ^ Flint, Jess (16 May 2024). "Family first: Hiscutt backs son's run but he's coming for the Liberals". The Advocate (Tasmania). Australian Community Media. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
- ^ Flint, Jess (15 June 2024). "Parry promises 'law and order' as he puts hand up for upper house seat". The Advocate (Tasmania). Australian Community Media. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
- ^ Ford, Sean (23 August 2024). "Lambie-baiting firebrand starting party to tackle 'Tasmania's rotten core'". The Advocate (Tasmania). Australian Community Media. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
- ^ Bailey, Sue (23 June 2024). "Why local butcher wants to be a Liberal politician". The Mercury (Hobart). News Corp Australia. Retrieved 23 June 2024.