Tasmanian Government

The Tasmanian Government is the democratic administrative authority of the state of Tasmania, Australia. The leader of the party or coalition with the confidence of the House of Assembly, the lower house of the Parliament of Tasmania, is invited by the governor of Tasmania to form government. The head of government is the premier of Tasmania.

Tasmanian Government
State Government
Coat of arms of Tasmania
Formation
Founding documentConstitution of Tasmania
State Tasmania
Country Australia
Websitetas.gov.au
Crown
Head of state (sovereign)Monarch (Queen)
Vice-regal representativeGovernor
SeatGovernment House
Legislative branch
LegislatureParliament of Tasmania
Meeting placeParliament House
Executive branch
Head of governmentPremier
Main bodyCabinet of Tasmania
AppointerGovernor on behalf of the Queen of Australia in right of the State of Tasmania.
HeadquartersExecutive Building
15 Murray Street, Hobart
Main organExecutive Council of Tasmaina
Departments8 departments
Judicial branch
CourtSupreme Court
SeatSupreme Court building, Hobart

Since the 20 January 2020, the premier of Tasmania has been Peter Gutwein, leader of the Liberal Party. The current ministry of Tasmania is the Second Gutwein Ministry, formed on 19 May 2021 and comprising nine of the 13 Liberal members in the House of Assembly and one in the Legislative Council.

Constitutional framework

Tasmania is governed according to the principles of the Westminster System, a form of parliamentary responsible government based on the model of the United Kingdom. Legislative power rests with the bicameral Parliament of Tasmania, which consists of the governor of Tasmania (the sovereign), and the two chambers: the Legislative Council and the House of Assembly.[1]

Executive power rests formally with the Executive Council, which consists of the governor and senior ministers, and informally called the Cabinet. In practice, executive power is exercised by the premier of Tasmania upon the advice of the Cabinet, who are appointed by the governor, but who hold office by virtue of their ability to command the support of a majority of members of the House of Assembly.

Judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court of Tasmania and a system of subordinate courts. As with all states, upon federation, Tasmania accepted the authority of the federal High Court of Australia to overrule the state judiciary.

Current Ministry
Main articles: Second Gutwein Ministry and Opposition (Tasmania)

The current ministry of Tasmania is the Second Gutwein Ministry, formed on 19 May 2021 and comprising nine Liberal members, eight of whom sit in the House of Assembly, and one in the Legislative Council:

MinisterPortfolioPortraitPartyOpposition counterpartPortfolioPortraitParty
Peter Gutwein MP Premier
Minister for Climate Change
Minister for Tourism		   Liberal Rebecca White MP Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Minister for Tourism
Shadow Minister for Climate Change		   Labor
Treasurer Shane Broad MP Shadow Treasurer   Labor
Jeremy Rockliff MP Deputy Premier
Minister for Advanced Manufacturing and Defence Industries		   Liberal Anita Dow MP Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Shadow Minister for Advanced Manufacturing and Defence Industries		   Labor
Minister for Health
Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing		 Bastian Seidel MLC Shadow Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing   Labor
Minister for Community Services and Development Jo Siejka MLC Shadow Minister for Community Services and Development   Labor
Elise Archer MP Attorney-General
Minister for Justice
Minister for Corrections		   Liberal Ella Haddad MP Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Justice
Shadow Minister for Corrections
Shadow Minister for Equality and Multicultural Affairs		   Labor
Minister for the Arts Michelle O'Byrne MP Shadow Minister for the Arts and Creative Industries   Labor
Minister for Workplace Safety and Consumer Affairs Sarah Lovell MLC Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations   Labor
Jen Butler MP Shadow Minister for Building and Consumer Affairs   Labor
Michael Ferguson MP Minister for Science and Technology   Liberal Shadow Minister for ICT and Science
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Rebecca White MP Shadow Minister for Infrastructure   Labor
Josh Willie MLC Shadow Minister for Transport   Labor
Minister for State Development, Construction and Housing Anita Dow MP Shadow Minister for Housing and Construction   Labor
Dean Winter MP Shadow Minister for Economic Development   Labor
Leader of the House
Minister for Finance		 Leader of Opposition Business
Shadow Minister for Finance
Guy Barnett MP Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction   Liberal Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction
Minister for Resources
Minister for Trade		 Shane Broad MP Shadow Minister for Resources
Shadow Minister for Trade		   Labor
Minister for Primary Industries and Water Janie Finlay MP Shadow Minister for Primary Industries and Water
Shadow Minister for Start Ups		   Labor
Minister for Veterans' Affairs Jen Butler MP Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs   Labor
Sarah Courtney MP Minister for Hospitality and Events   Liberal Rebecca White MP Shadow Minister for Hospitality and Events   Labor
Minister for Children and Youth Sarah Lovell MLC Shadow Minister for Child Safety   Labor
Jo Siejka MLC Shadow Minister for Youth
Shadow Minister for Ageing		   Labor
Minister for Disability Services Shadow Minister for Disability
Minister for Education
Minister for Skills, Training and Workforce Growth		 Josh Willie MLC Shadow Minister for Education and Early Years
Shadow Minister for TAFE, University and Skills and Training		   Labor
Jane Howlett MLC Minister for Sport and Recreation
Minister for Small Business		   Liberal Shadow Minister for Sport
Minister for Racing Dean Winter MP Shadow Minister for Racing   Labor
Minister for Women Michelle O'Byrne MP Shadow Minister for Women   Labor
Roger Jaensch MP Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Minister for Heritage
Minister for State Growth		   Liberal Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Shadow Minister for Heritage
Minister for Local Government and Planning Anita Dow MP Shadow Minister for Local Government and Planning   Labor
Minister for Environment Bastian Seidel MLC Shadow Minister for Parks and Environment   Labor
Jacquie Petrusma MP Minister for Parks   Liberal
Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management
Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence		 Michelle O'Byrne MP Shadow Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management
Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence		   Labor
Source: Premier of Tasmania – Cabinet Parliament of Tasmania – Shadow Ministry

Tasmanian government agencies
Main article: List of Tasmanian government agencies

The Tasmanian Government delivers services, determines policy, and issues regulations through a number of agencies grouped under areas of portfolio responsibility. Each portfolio is led by a Secretary, who reports to one or more government ministers, a member of Parliament. As of April 2016 there are eight government departments:[2]

A range of other agencies support the functions of these departments.

State-owned businesses

The Government of Tasmania also owns and operates a number of state-owned companies:[3]

  • Aurora Energy: electricity and gas retailer.
  • Forestry Tasmania: the manager of public forests and plantations for logging, sawmilling and woodchipping.
  • Hydro Tasmania: a large generator of electricity, management of hydroelectric schemes. Also owns a mainland Australian energy retailer, Momentum Energy.
  • Tasmanian Irrigation: tasked with the planning, construction and maintenance of the Tasmanian Irrigation Schemes culminating pipes, dams and pumping stations.
  • Metro Tasmania: a public transportation company, running busses in the metropolitan areas of the state.
  • Motor Accidents Insurance Board (MAIB): public insurance resulting from car accidents.
  • Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority: operates the tourism venture at Port Arthur, maintains the ruins of the gaol and historic site.
  • Public Trustee: an independent trustee organisation.
  • Tascorp: management of the other public companies' finances and government investment.
  • Tasmanian Rail: freight transportation, railway management.
  • TasNetworks: electricity transmission and distribution.
  • TasPorts: port management and stevedoring.
  • Tasracing: the operator of Tasmania's horse and dog racing venues, management of betting.
  • TT-Line Company: operates the Bass Strait ferries.

Other levels of government

Federal representation of Tasmania
See also: Results of the 2019 Australian federal election in Tasmania

As a state of Australia, Tasmania is represented in the federal House of Representatives and Senate. Tasmania has five representative in the federal House of Representatives for the electoral divisions of Bass, Braddon, Denison, Franklin, and Lyons. Tasmania also has twelve Senators in line with other states.

Local government in Tasmania
Main article: Local government areas of Tasmania

29 local government elections are conducted under the Local Government Act using the Hare-Clark voting system of multi-member proportional representation. Elections for mayor, deputy mayor and half the councillor positions are held during September and October in each uneven numbered year. These include six cities (three in greater Hobart, one covering each of Launceston, Burnie, and Devonport) and twenty-three municipalities. The largest council (by number of eligible voters) is the City of Launceston and the smallest council is the Municipality of Flinders (which serves Flinders Island and the surrounds, with just over 800 electors)

See also

References
  1. Constitution Act 1934 (Tas) s.10
  2. "Tasmanian Government Organisations". Service Tasmania. Government of Tasmania. 14 April 2016.
  3. "Tasmanian Government Businesses". Tasmanian Department of Treasury and Finance. Tasmanian Government.
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