Minority government: Crucial changes essential to benefit from power sharing opportunities

Minority government in Tasmania: Crucial changes essential to benefit from power sharing opportunities after March 20 election.

Report reveals limitations of current political system and solutions to attain healthy democratic change for Tasmania’s future.

Minority government, the likely outcome of the election on 20th March 2010, should not be seen as a threat but a positive and dynamic way of power sharing with cooperative dialogue.

Power Sharing Government 2010 Report

Tasmanians for a Healthy Democracy have released their Power Sharing Government 2010 Report to Tasmanian politicians and candidates. This comprehensive report defines power sharing and identifies positive solutions for the Tasmanian political system. It outlines the benefits and limitations of minority government for Tasmania, citing past examples and those operating overseas. Topical issues ranging from Corporate Donations, the Tasmanian Integrity Body, Human Rights Act and the role of the judiciary through to Direct Democracy and Civic education for schools are also included in the report.

In recounting the positive outcomes of power sharing minority government in Tasmania’s political history, Professor Richard Herr said that “42% of the elections have produced non-majority government and have governed for 38% of the time. Two out of three of the longest serving governments for this period of time were minority governments.” A member of the audience expanded the point highlighting the fact that during those years, the power-sharing minority governments achieved many positive and productive outcomes for Tasmania.

Greg Barns stressed the importance of politicians working together in power-sharing minority government to achieve positive outcomes, citing examples from Canada, Germany and New Zealand and shedding light on the opportunities for Tasmania. “Do not underestimate the difficulty of power sharing in the context of Tasmania [however] there seems to be a greater opportunity than there was in 1989 because the Greens are less fundamentalist but a more centralist party, as they are in Europe, and therefore more likely to be stable members of a coalition government.”

Participant Alderman Eva Ruzicka defined power sharing government as “Acknowledging power is a shared dependence, that skills and abilities lie on all sides, that sharing power is sharing information and that negotiated outcomes provide many avenues for information; input and reflection in decision-making, especially to overcome the unintended consequences that arise with closed decision making arenas/party circle decision making that excludes others.”

The report concludes:

How power sharing can be made more effective:

Most important, there needs to be a change in the culture of Tasmanian and Australian politics. While Barack Obama produced a change in the culture of American politics within a few months, long term change in Tasmania needs:

· An increase in the sizes of both houses of parliament – all speakers agreed on that. In respect to financial aspects, less money to be spent on “minders” and consultants, more to be spent on additional elected representatives of the people.

· Parliamentarians to be educated in power sharing and in the roles and structures leading to more effective democracy. This educative role could be taken up by the Integrity Commission who would also advise on parliamentary and political ethics.

· A better committee system involving wider discussion and representation.

· Parliamentary seating arrangements and presentations that are conducive to discussion and dialogue rather than debate.

· Introduction of Civic Education into schools and higher education facilities.

Tasmanians for a Healthy Democracy, a non-party political organisation, aims to continue reinforcing and encouraging a culture of respect and constructive dialogue in the political realm, especially leading up to the State election.

Download report:
POWER_SHARING_GOVERNMENT_2010_Final.doc

(also available on website www.tashealthydemocracy.com)
Tasmanians For A Healthy Democracy