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Politics in the 21st century: Labor first, Liberals last

By Peter Tucker - posted Thursday, 20 March 2008


One problem in holding so few seats is the corresponding reduction in resources. Seats mean money in terms of staff and electoral presence, so the Liberals find themselves in something of a catch-22: fewer seats, means less resources, which makes it harder to hold the seats you have, which means you lose more seats, and so on. It is a case of diminishing returns.

It is a reasonably fair political fight in the north with 13 Labor to the Liberal's eight - at least enough for a contest. But look at the south: 15 Labor to the Liberal's four. That's right, just four Liberals, state and federal combined, stationed south of Oatlands.

  Labor Liberal
North of Oatlands Brenton Best
Heather Butler
Jim Cox
Bryan Green
Steve Kons
Michelle O’Byrne
Michael Polley
Helen Polley
Kerry O’Brien
Nick Sherry
Dick Adams
Jodie Campbell
Peter Sidebottom
Total – 13
Peter Gutwein
Rene Hidding
Sue Napier
Jeremey Rockliff
Brett Whiteley
Guy Barnett
Richard Colebeck
Steve Parry
Total – 8
South of Oatlands Paula Wriedt
David Bartlett
Lara Giddings
Paul Lennon
David Llewellyn
Lisa Singh
Graeme Sturges
Alison Richie
Michael Aird
Doug Parkinson
Lyn Thorp
Carol Brown
Catryna Bilyk *
Julie Collins
Duncan Kerr
Total – 15
Will Hodgman
Michael Hodgman
Eric Abetz
David Bushby
Total – 4
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Tasmanian Federal and State Members - Electoral Offices 2008
* Cartyna Bilyk does not take up office until the new Senate is sworn in 1 July 2008

So it is no wonder the Liberals faired so badly in the south at recent state elections. Only one state member in each of Denison and Franklin, compared to Labor's three in each. No federal House of Reps and just two Senators. At every election Labor has the resources to put behind their candidate; resources the Liberals cannot match.

If that looks bad enough for the Liberals, it gets worse. Labor have the benefit of incumbency at both state and federal level. For example, Eric Abetz (I am told) has gone from 14 staff as a federal minister, to four as an opposition Senator.

I don't know how many staff the 15 southern Labor members would have in total - no one outside the party would - but a conservative estimate must be at least a 100 souls. The four Liberals would be lucky to muster, say, 16 between them.

Now, that's not a fair fight. But who says it should be?

We all know that political favour is cyclic and that the Liberals will, one day, come back to prominence. Those that have pronounced, with the defeat of John Howard, the end of the conservative politics in Australia are being far too premature.

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Australian needs a viable conservative alternative at the ballot box to allow our Westminster system of government to operate successfully. Dominance by one political party cannot be good for democracy. It is certainly not good for Tasmania.

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About the Author

Peter Tucker has worked in Tasmania as an advisor for the Liberals in opposition and in ministerial offices for both Labor and Liberal governments. He is author of the Tasmanian Politics website, and is a researcher at the University of Tasmania’s School of Government.

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