Tasmanian Legislative Council - Overview

Overview

The Council has 15 members selected by the preferential method within 15 single-member seats. Each seat is intended to represent approximately the same population in each electorate. Members of the Legislative Council are often referred to as MLCs.

Members in the council come up for re-election separately every six years. Elections will be held in three divisions one year, then two divisions the next year; following this pattern. The council can block supply and force any government to election. The council cannot be dissolved as there is nothing in the Tasmanian constitution to allow this. The council cannot be reformed or abolished because the constitution does not recognise public referenda. The only way reform could occur is with the council's own approval.

Tasmania's Legislative Council has never been controlled by a single political party; voters in Tasmania have always supported independents over candidates endorsed by political parties. Labor endorses a few candidates in some Legislative Council elections. The Labor party is the most successful of any political party in the council, there have been 18 Labor members in the Council's history. The Liberals maintain the view that the Legislative Council 'is not a party house', however in past elections the party has endorsed candidates with little success. The Liberals have only ever had two members in the Legislative Council—one of these, Peter McKay, was first elected as an independent in 1976 but became a Liberal in 1991. The party instead backs independent conservatives, many of whom were previously Liberal candidates or members at state or federal level. An exception to this was the 2009 Pembroke by-election where the Liberals stood candidate Vanessa Goodwin who won the seat. The Tasmanian Greens endorse candidates in elections but have yet to win a seat on the council.

Candidates for Legislative Council elections are required to limit their expenditure to a specified limit ($10,000 in 2005; increasing by $500 per year). In addition, no other person or political party may incur expenditure to promote a candidate. This is almost unique requirement in Australlia, other than the election of the ACT Legislative Assembly, no other State, Territory or Federal poll imposes expenditure limits for candidates.

As the Government is formed in the House of Assembly, a much smaller proportion of the Ministry comes from the Council.