Parliamentary reform should always be driven by the aim of ensuring it is serving a strong healthy and robust democracy, rather than whether it serves the self-interest of political parties, Greens Leader Kim Booth MP said.
“Tasmanians should treat with suspicion calls by political parties, especially those who have just lost government at a previous election, for changes to the parliament and electoral system,” Mr Booth said.
<“The House of Assembly’s Hare-Clark electoral system has international recognition as being one of the fairest in the world, as it delivers as accurately as possible the number of seats as per the votes received.”
“By advocating single member electorates it now appears that the failed Labor Party has joined with elements of the Liberal Party to target Tasmania’s Hare-Clark electoral system rather than focus on reforming itself.”
“People should be very wary when political parties shy away from the hard-yakka of convincing people to vote them into power, but want to change the system to make it a closed club between two parties rotating majority government between them.”
“It is up to the Tasmanian people to decide if they want a majority or power-sharing parliament, its not up to political parties to dictate that outcome.”
“It is also surprising that the Labor Party would now be calling for the Upper House to be abolished when lately the Legislative Council has demonstrated the need for a political break on the excesses of out-of-control majority governments such as this arrogant Hodgman Liberal government.”
“It was the Upper House that put the brake on the Liberals’ outrageous attack on the State Industrial Commission and unconsulted public sector wage freeze, as well as the threatened anti democratic protest and defamation laws.”
“The sole imperative for parliamentary reform should always be what will strengthen our democracy, not what will deliver particular political parties power,” Mr Booth said.