Speaker's role set to play big part in Tasmanian parliament's future

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16 hours ago

When the Tasmanian parliament returns next week, the first order of business will be selecting the speaker of the House of Assembly.
While the no-confidence motion promised by Labor leader Dean Winter in Premier Jeremy Rockliff looms over the first sitting day, the vote to select the speaker will be a first test of how the new parliament might function.
Whoever assumes the speakership will be required to chair the lower house — or House of Assembly.
Usually, the government will nominate one of its own members as a candidate for speaker, and for governments with a large enough majority, losing one vote (as the speaker will only vote when there is a tie) won't make passing legislation more difficult.
But for a minority government, the choice of speaker is "critical", according to political scientist Richard Herr.
"It is actually the first electoral act of the parliament," Dr Herr said.
Tasmania's political history provides some insight into just how critical that appointment can be.
The first sitting day of parliament in 2018 was a case in point.
Long-serving Liberal MP Rene Hidding had given up his ministerial portfolios after then-premier Will Hodgman announced him as the party's nominee as speaker.
It seemed assured, with the Liberals holding a majority of votes by one seat.
The speaker is expected to adopt an apolitical approach while presiding over the passage of new legislation.
Their casting vote as a tie-breaker won't necessarily fall along party lines, with convention being the speaker keeps the status quo in the event of tied votes.
But it was freshly minted Liberal MP Sue Hickey who took the speakership, after a surprise nomination orchestrated and supported by Labor and the Greens.
The manoeuvre blindsided the Liberals — but Mr Hidding told the ABC later that morning he wasn't surprised.
Ms Hickey remained a member of the Liberal Party after the speakership coup and promised to support the government with a guarantee of confidence and supply.
But the Hodgman government's grasp on majority was now tenuous, with Ms Hickey holding the casting vote and vowing to vote on each bill on its merits.
The maverick speaker voted with Labor and the Greens to pass landmark transgender reforms and mandatory sentencing for serious child sexual assaults.
She was ultimately disendorsed by the party in 2021.
After the 2024 election, the Liberals didn't put a candidate for speaker forward, to avoid "unnecessary division and dissent" after realising their nominee wouldn't get enough votes.
The make-up of that parliament was similar to the current arrangement; the Liberals with 14 seats, Labor with 10, the Greens with four, the Jacqui Lambie Network with three and three independents.
The Liberal minority government got rolled on the first day of parliament, with Labor and the crossbench voting together to install long-serving Labor MP Michelle O'Byrne in the role — the first speaker from the opposition in more than 60 years.
In that instance, it wasn't a total surprise for the government.
The three Jacqui Lambie Network MPs had given the government advance notice of their intention to vote for Ms O'Byrne.
Her speakership would further undermine Mr Rockliff's control over parliament, with Ms O'Byrne providing the pivotal vote to pass the no-confidence motion that led to last month's election.
"No one in this chamber could realistically expect me to provide confidence to a Liberal government," she told parliament at the time.
Now, Mr Rockliff's new cabinet has been announced and parliament will return in just over a week.
"The next speaker is not determined by the Liberal Party, the next speaker is determined by the parliament," Mr Rockliff said last Wednesday.
"To that end, I commend the previous speaker, Michelle O'Byrne, who in my personal opinion did an outstanding job as speaker of the House of Assembly."
Ms O'Byrne retired from Tasmanian parliament at the election after spending 25 years in federal and state politics.
Asked who he would nominate as speaker, Mr Rockliff said there was "a lot of water to go under the bridge yet".
"But that's up to our party."
Dr Herr said without the numbers, it was not clear the Liberals would nominate one of their own this time.
Instead, he said an independent such as former Labor leader-turned-crossbencher, David O'Byrne, could be nominated.
But Mr O'Byrne has said he isn't interested in becoming speaker or a minister.
An independent member hasn't assumed the position in Tasmania since 1949.
Dr Herr said there is another potential scenario.
"But then the Greens might feel that that's wedging them out of having a policy influence or even the possibility of forcing Labor to change its rules and accept a Green minister."
The first sitting day for the new Tasmanian parliament will be on Tuesday, August 19.