Tasmanian Constitution Society

Discussion paper about publication of government  and opposition frontbenchers’ diaries welcome and long overdue. Leg Council has passed @MegWebbTweets motion calling for it 3 times in as many years. #politas

People trust governments when they make public the information on which decisions are based. That's why the govt should act on the recommendations of the RTI review report. #politas 1/2

One it can implement immediately is making public all information the cabinet considered in making decisions to be made public within 30 days of the decision. It happens in Qld, ACT and NZ and should happen here. #politas 2/2

If it’s good enough for successive Qld govts to publish ministerial diaries each month since 2013, it’s surely good enough for Tas. Legislative Councillors should support @megwebb-mlc.bsky.social motion. #politas

Media Release: Premier under Pressure to Act on Ministerial Diaries Disclosure Reform Call - Meg Webb MLC | Independent Member for Nelson My name is Meg Webb. Independent member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council.

Today the Leg Co will debate my motion calling for reform of current ministerial diaries disclosure system.
The current model as an exercise in deliberate obfuscation and hollow performative transparency.
Read my full media release…

megwebb.com.au/media-releas...

Preciously silly anti-Hare-Clark op ed in the thief paper today. I've updated my recent article with comments on it kevinbonham.blogspot.com/2025/09/hare... #politas

Calling for the abolition of Hare Clark, the fairest and most representative electoral system, is not a solution to improving Labor's low vote. #politas

This is too good. It's easier to imagine an end to Hare Clark than Labor winning back voters. #politas

A political career doesn’t require specific qualifications. That’s why Professor Pam Allan’s suggestion in today's paper for MPs to complete an Australian Institute of Company Directors' curated course should be implemented. It would improver how parlt works and we'd all benefit. #politas

Media Release: Is Government Sitting On Two Commission of Inquiry-related Reports? - Meg Webb MLC | Independent Member for Nelson My name is Meg Webb. Independent member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council.

Two yrs on from Commission of Inquiry into Tasmanian Govt’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse final report provided to Governor on 31 Aug 2023, Govt is still failing to keep community updated on related important independent reviews.
Read my full media release… #politas

megwebb.com.au/media-releas...

@megwebb-mlc.bsky.social points out in today’s paper, the real test of co-operation will be when parlt sits. Let’s see how we go with enacting her calls for ministers’ diaries to be published and a human rights act. Both would strengthen our democracy. #politas

Ella Haddad’s support for integrity reform is good news and should top the list of work with the crossbench. #politas

#politas crossbench should take heed of @BarnsGreg advice in today’s Talking Point about supporting a human rights act.

No seriously, things are going just fine in Tasmania’s new parliament Unbelievably, the composition of Tasmania's new government presents more opportunities than challenges — if the major parties are willing to take them.

I’m back on deck after a few weeks off while the dust settled after the recent state election.
I provided comments in this Crikey piece on the role of the Upper House in this new iteration of a minority government - plenty of opportunitues and challenges #politas
www.crikey.com.au/2025/08/22/t...

Transparency International Australia provides latest prompt for the need to reform not just Tasmania’s lobbying regulations but also the Integrity Commission.
transparency.org.au/lagging-fede...

Isn't it fascinating how minority government changes the tide? An end to public funding of greyhound racing (Liberal only, but well overdue), independent members of the LegCo given a chance to be part the future Govt (from both Lib and Labor) and the halt of Libs' stupid forestry expansion #politas

Tasmanian Distrust Tasmanian Integrity Commission Highlights Need for Reform Nearly one in two Tasmanians (48.5%) distrust the Tasmanian Integrity Commission’s ability to uncover and prevent misconduct in public administration, including 19.6% who strongly distrust. Meanwhile ...

Let’s hope former Victorian anti-corruption head Robert Redlich’s call for urgent reform of Integrity Commission is heeded. Aus Inst finding 48.5% of Tasmanians distrust it.
australiainstitute.org.au/post/tasmani...
#politas

Power-sharing parliament is working. Liberal policy change to end greyhound racing and logging policy change can be fismissed as cynical. But it would not have happened if we hadn’t elected a power-sharing parliament. The Liberals are acting on what they say about the need to compromise. #politas

Australia Institute polling shows more than 77% of Tasmanians want a new anti-corruption commission, with stronger mechanisms to investigate misconduct and corruption.

#auspol

Both major party leaders say they want the new parlt to work. That requires compromise which neither side is doing. Labor won’t “do deals” or “trade off on policy”. Rockliff is acting the same way which is inconsistent with the power-sharing parlt Tasmanians elected. #politas

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 t…

Calls to replace Tasmania’s electoral system are misguided. tcsinfo.com.au/2025/08/07/t...
#politas

Is Tasmania governable? • Kate Crowley National trends and local factors have combined to make forming government an immensely complicated process

insidestory.org.au/is-tasmania-...
#politas

Tasmania 2025: Just As Hung But More Polarised Tasmanian and Australian psephology, opinion poll analysis, election analysis and political commentary by Dr Kevin Bonham.

Why the Hare Clark electoral system is one of the most representative in the world. Voters' choices are most accurately represented in seats won.
kevinbonham.blogspot.com/2025/08/tasm...
#politas

Independents should take heed of Australian Lawyers Alliance @BarnsGreg call for human rights act for Tasmania to be on the negotiations agenda for the next parliament. #politas

Media Release: Call For Assembly to Introduce Fixed Four Year Terms - Meg Webb MLC | Independent Member for Nelson My name is Meg Webb. Independent member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council.

A courageous new Tas parliament now has opportunity to mitigate the disruptive impact of serial early elections by introducing fixed 4 year terms for Tas House of Assembly. #politas
Read my full media release…
megwebb.com.au/media-releas...

Talking Point-It’s Absolutely Insane but the Major Parties are Still Not Listening to the Voice of the Tasmanian People - Meg Webb MLC | Independent Member for Nelson My name is Meg Webb. Independent member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council.

⁦‪@MegWebbTweets‬⁩ excellent Talking Point in today’s paper and on her website. Tas politics has changed but some politicians haven’t caught up. They are duty-bound to catch up fast.
#politas megwebb.com.au/talking-poin...

Hung parliament can work just fine, ex-Labor premier says David Bartlett, who governed in minority under an agreement with the Greens, says the arrangement can work if cool heads prevail and no-one rushes to "explode the whole government".

⁦‪⁦‪@Bartlett_DJ‬⁩ — who had been there, done that – has good advice. The first step: establish trust. #politas
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

Despite hopes of breaking a deadlock, Tasmania votes for status quo There were some noticeable swings in the Tasmanian election, and there will be some changes in the Assembly, but overall the result seems to have produced a Parliament with a similar balance of pow…

Good analysis of election result.
www.tallyroom.com.au/60934
#politas

Tas Labor coy on objections to lobbying disclosure code The Tasmanian Labor Party has not explained why it opposes changes proposed by the Integrity Commission to the lobbyist code of conduct.

Our story from early this week on the lack of explanation on Labor's objections to proposed changes to the lobbyist register -- the Rockliff govt axed funding for the three positions to implement the changes #politas

tasmanianinquirer.com.au/news/labor-c...

There has been no Labor announcement on governance or integrity reforms since then taslabor.org.au/our-plan/our...

Former Labor leader Bec White & then Shadow Attorney General Ella Haddad announced a policy ahead of the 2024 state election #politas

tasmaniantimes.com/2024/03/on-i...