Tasmanian House of Assembly
Encyclopedia
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania
in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council
or Upper House. It sits in Parliament House
in the state capital, Hobart
.
. Each electorate is intended to represent approximately the same population. Voting for the state parliament is by a form of proportional representation using the single-transferable vote (STV), known as the Hare-Clark
system. By having multiple members for each electorate, the voting intentions of the electors are correspondingly represented in the parliament. The system also provides opportunities for individual members to be selected more on their personal attributes, rather than merely as the nominated representative of a political party.
Most legislation is initiated in the House of Assembly. The party or coalition with the most seats in the lower house is invited by the Governor to form government. The leader of that party subsequently becomes the Premier of Tasmania, and his/her senior colleagues become ministers responsible for various portfolios. As Australian politicians traditionally vote along party lines, most legislation introduced by the governing party will be passed by the House of Assembly.
The House of Assembly was first established in 1856, under legislation passed by the British Parliament creating the independent Colony of Tasmania. The Legislative Council
had already existed since 1852. The first elections for the House of Assembly were held in October 1856. The House first met on 2 December 1856 in the area that is now the parliamentary members lounge. The first House had members elected to represent 24 electorates; Hobart had five members, Launceston had three members, and the 22 other electorates each had one member.
In 1906 the old electoral system was abolished and instead the state was divided into five equally represented multi-member electorates. Each electorate would return six members using the Hare-Clark
proportional representation
system.
In 1959 the number of members per electorate was increased to seven. In 1998 it was reduced to five, resulting in the current 25 member parliament. The reduction has been criticised by minor parties, particularly the Greens
, as an attempt to reduce their influence. However since the 2002 election the Green vote has increased and they now hold five seats. In 2010, the leaders of the three main parties—Labor, the Liberals and the Greens—moved to increase the number of seats in the House to 35 for the next state election. The three leaders signed an agreement on 2 September to submit the proposal for public consideration before taking a set of resolutions to their respective party rooms. The proposal, however, was dropped in February 2011 when the Liberal Party withdrew its support for the plan, citing budget circumstances.
A Hansard
service began on 12 June 1979.
On 21 September 2011, the Tasmanian House of Assembly was the first house of parliament to pass a motion calling on the Federal Government to recognise same-sex unions by amending the Marriage Act 1961.
Parliament of Tasmania
The Parliament of Tasmania consists of the Tasmanian Legislative Council, Tasmanian House of Assembly and the Monarch represented by the Governor of Tasmania....
in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council
Tasmanian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the House of Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Hobart...
or Upper House. It sits in Parliament House
Parliament House, Hobart
Parliament House, Hobart has been the meeting place of the Government of Tasmania since 1841. The building was originally designed as a customs house, and from 1841 until 1904 when the customs offices were relocated, the building served both purposes....
in the state capital, Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
.
Overview
The Assembly has 25 members, with five members coming from each of five electorates with identical names and boundaries as the single-member districts that return Tasmanian members to the Parliament of AustraliaParliament of Australia
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...
. Each electorate is intended to represent approximately the same population. Voting for the state parliament is by a form of proportional representation using the single-transferable vote (STV), known as the Hare-Clark
Single transferable vote
The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or...
system. By having multiple members for each electorate, the voting intentions of the electors are correspondingly represented in the parliament. The system also provides opportunities for individual members to be selected more on their personal attributes, rather than merely as the nominated representative of a political party.
Most legislation is initiated in the House of Assembly. The party or coalition with the most seats in the lower house is invited by the Governor to form government. The leader of that party subsequently becomes the Premier of Tasmania, and his/her senior colleagues become ministers responsible for various portfolios. As Australian politicians traditionally vote along party lines, most legislation introduced by the governing party will be passed by the House of Assembly.
History
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1856 | 30 |
| 1870 | 32 |
| 1885 | 36 |
| 1893 | 37 |
| 1900 | 35 |
| 1906 | 30 |
| 1959 | 35 |
| 1998 | 25 |
The House of Assembly was first established in 1856, under legislation passed by the British Parliament creating the independent Colony of Tasmania. The Legislative Council
Tasmanian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the House of Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Hobart...
had already existed since 1852. The first elections for the House of Assembly were held in October 1856. The House first met on 2 December 1856 in the area that is now the parliamentary members lounge. The first House had members elected to represent 24 electorates; Hobart had five members, Launceston had three members, and the 22 other electorates each had one member.
In 1906 the old electoral system was abolished and instead the state was divided into five equally represented multi-member electorates. Each electorate would return six members using the Hare-Clark
Single transferable vote
The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or...
proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
system.
In 1959 the number of members per electorate was increased to seven. In 1998 it was reduced to five, resulting in the current 25 member parliament. The reduction has been criticised by minor parties, particularly the Greens
Tasmanian Greens
The Tasmanian Greens are a political party in Australia which developed from numerous environmental campaigns in Tasmania, including the flooding of Lake Pedder and the Franklin Dam campaign...
, as an attempt to reduce their influence. However since the 2002 election the Green vote has increased and they now hold five seats. In 2010, the leaders of the three main parties—Labor, the Liberals and the Greens—moved to increase the number of seats in the House to 35 for the next state election. The three leaders signed an agreement on 2 September to submit the proposal for public consideration before taking a set of resolutions to their respective party rooms. The proposal, however, was dropped in February 2011 when the Liberal Party withdrew its support for the plan, citing budget circumstances.
A Hansard
Hansard
Hansard is the name of the printed transcripts of parliamentary debates in the Westminster system of government. It is named after Thomas Curson Hansard, an early printer and publisher of these transcripts.-Origins:...
service began on 12 June 1979.
On 21 September 2011, the Tasmanian House of Assembly was the first house of parliament to pass a motion calling on the Federal Government to recognise same-sex unions by amending the Marriage Act 1961.
Electorates
A map from the Tasmanian Electoral Commission showing the electoral boundaries is available here.- BassDivision of Bass (state)The Electoral Division of Bass is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, or lower house; it takes its name from the British Naval Surgeon and Explorer of Australia: George Bass. The division shares its name and boundaries with the federal division of Bass...
- BraddonDivision of Braddon (state)The Electoral Division of Braddon, Tasmania is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The constituency takes its name from the former Premier of Tasmania, Sir Edward Braddon. Prior to 1955, the electorate was known as Darwin. The boundaries and name of the electorate are...
- DenisonDivision of Denison (state)The Electoral Division of Denison is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir William Denison, who was Lieutenant Governor of Van_Diemen's Land 1847-55, and Governor of New South Wales 1855-61. The division shares its name and boundaries with the...
- FranklinDivision of Franklin (state)The Electoral Division of Franklin is one of the five electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir John Franklin, the arctic explorer who was Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen's Land 1837-43...
- LyonsDivision of Lyons (state)The Electoral Division of Lyons, Tasmania is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, the lower house. The division is named after Joseph Lyons, Prime Minister of Australia 1931–39, Premier of Tasmania from 1923–1928 and his wife Dame Enid Lyons, the first woman elected to the...
Current distribution of seats
| Party | Seats held | Percentage of Assembly | Current House of Assembly | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Labor Party Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... |
10 | 40% | ||||||||||||||
| Liberal Party of Australia Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... |
10 | 40% | ||||||||||||||
| Tasmanian Greens Tasmanian Greens The Tasmanian Greens are a political party in Australia which developed from numerous environmental campaigns in Tasmania, including the flooding of Lake Pedder and the Franklin Dam campaign... |
5 | 20% | ||||||||||||||
See also
- Parliaments of the Australian states and territoriesParliaments of the Australian states and territoriesThe Parliaments of the Australian states and territories are legislative bodies within the federal framework of the Commonwealth of Australia. Before the formation of the Commonwealth in 1901, the six Australian colonies were self-governing, with parliaments which had come into existence at various...
- Members of the Tasmanian House of AssemblyMembers of the Tasmanian House of AssemblyFollowing are lists of members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly:* 1856–1861* 1861–1862* 1862–1866* 1866–1871* 1871–1872* 1872–1877* 1877–1882* 1882–1886* 1886–1891* 1891–1893* 1893–1897* 1897–1900* 1900–1903* 1903–1906* 1906–1909* 1909–1912...