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All the Sitting Members Returned in Tasmania

Wednesday, 29th March, 2006

At the Tasmanian election 10 days ago there were 95 candidates standing for the total of 25 seats in the five electorates. Of that number, 23 were members of the previous House of Assembly, one a previous member of the Federal Parliament along with 71 hopefuls. At the close of counting yesterday, all the retiring members were re-elected along with the former Federal member. Only one newcomer made it.

In Bass, where four members were re-elected, the fifth seat went to Labor's Michelle O'Byrne who once held the seat of Bass in the Federal House of Representatives. In Braddon - five retiring members seeking re-election and five retiring members returned. In Denison - four out of four retiring members re-elected with Lisa Singh for Labor becoming the only parliamentary newcomer. In Franklin and Lyons only retiring members were elected.

There's probably a lesson in that result for the party apparatchiks from both of the major parties who are talking about the need for "generational change" in nominations for federal parliament. Given the choice, voters will stick with the members they know rather than the would be members they don't. Between them they got 65% of the votes in a state where there is no above the line voting, no how-to-vote cards and no donkey vote. Toss in Ms O'Byrne and the vote for the familiar faces (25% of the candidates) rises to 69%.

As to the overall vote in Tasmania, the only improver was the Liberal Party with Labor and the Greens both down slightly.

Tasmanian Voting Trend

Back to the 2006 Tasmanian Election page.

The State of the Parliament

Labor 14
Liberal 7
Greens 4