The Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC) announced that 161 candidates have nominated for the House of Assembly elections which is slightly fewer than the 167 candidates in 2024 with all candidates names revealed today 27 June 2025.

Tasmanian Times will be posting more on the standing candidates.

A prominent theme is the cost of living, budget management, housing affordability and availability … and Macquarie Point is not going away.

Newcomers the Nationals criticised the stadium deal with Bass candidate Angela Armstrong saying: “the clear lack of consultation, lack of due diligence, and the fiscal recklessness is as alarming as it is utterly disrespectful to all Tasmanians, placing us in real and present danger of further financial misery.”

Rebekah Pentland (independent, Bass), criticised major parties for the election campaign spending promises and pork barrelling despite a budget crisis, urging fiscal discipline.

The Greens, through Leader Rosalie Woodruff, echoed this concern, advocating for increased revenue from mining and salmon farming corporations and ending greyhound racing subsidies, based on expert economic advice, and opposing the proposed Macquarie Point stadium due to its significant cost.

The Planning Institute of Australia backed the Greens’ announcement of a Northern Transit Corridor Development Authority, noting that: “a development authority is a tried and trusted model that can unlock much needed housing and drive urban renewal.”

Housing affordability is another critical issue.

The Tasmanian Council of Social Service (TasCOSS) and Anglicare Tasmania highlighted a severe rental affordability crisis, with rents skyrocketing and vacancy rates extremely low. They called for urgent government intervention including a review of the Residential Tenancy Act.

Minister for Housing Felix Ellis (Liberal, Braddon) proposed to boost infill development by allowing more housing above shops and simplifying the process for adding granny flats, alongside a six-year freeze on new National Construction Code requirements to reduce housing costs.

The Liberals have also promised more training for dementia care

The Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party, represented by Adrian Pickin, also addressed housing, proposing tenancy reforms with extended lease options and capped rent increases, and advocating for public housing for over-55s at the Macquarie Point site instead of a stadium.

Labor Leader Dean Winter promised to double funding for before and after school care facilities to ease cost of living pressures and boost workforce participation.

Meg Webb (independent MLC, Nelson, not up for reelection) urged Labor and Liberal parties to implement the pre-commitment card for pokier machines: “The pokies card will save lives.  How could any responsible candidate refuse to sign up to that?”

The Integrity Commission, through Chief Commissioner Greg Melick, issued a reminder to Members of Parliament about the importance of maintaining confidentiality in investigations leading up to the election.

Statements relating to these issues are reproduced below.

Media release – National Party of Tasmania, 27 June 2025

TAS NATIONALS SLAM THE DEEPLY FLAWED MAC POINT STADIUM CONTRACT

The Macquarie Point Stadium deal has been exposed for the reckless, irresponsible and unfeasible folly, that it is according to Tasmanian Nationals candidates in Bass Angela Armstrong and Carl Cooper.

Since the snap election was announced, both Labor and Liberal, despite it being arguably the singular stand-out issue, have not spoken about the stadium nor the fated-to-fail deal.

“The clear lack of consultation, lack of due diligence, and the fiscal recklessness is as alarming as it is utterly disrespectful to all Tasmanians, placing us in real and present danger of further financial misery”, Miss Armstrong said.

“There is absolutely no question that footy loving Tasmanians want and deserve an AFLW and an AFL team – the founding team membership numbers are testament to our passion for the code,” Miss Armstrong said. “To be placed in this deal and heart-breaking position through the current highly flawed and unrealistic agreement is next level frustrating.”

The AFL in recent weeks purchased Hawthorn’s legacy and once home ground Waverly Park. To what end is unclear but it demonstrates that the AFL has a lot of money to spend on pet projects that suit its agenda.

“No other state, territory or city has ever been held to these extraordinary demands,” Miss Armstrong said. “The roof requirement is the non-negotiable, non-sensical sticking point – the home of AFL, the mighty MCG, represents the standard – roofless, outdoors and rugged.”

The actual cost of the proposed Mac Point Stadium to tax paying Tasmanians remains a guestimate at best.

Despite the proven, credible and informed reports from economic experts, none of the major parties can provide or are brave enough to deliver a legitimate and fiscally sound business case for the hope and dreams for the Tasmania Devils to be realised.

Media release – Rebekah Pentland, Member for Bass, 24 June 2025

JUST BECAUSE IT’S AN ELECTION, DOESN’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO SPEND 

Bass Independent Rebekah Pentland says the major parties are again giving into the temptation of election campaign spending promises.

“Old habits are creeping back in,” Mrs Pentland said.

“Despite Tasmania being in the grip of a budget crisis, the Liberals and Labor are continuing to put promises on the credit card.

“We are only 15 months on from the last election. Now is not the time for new spending. If the major parties made a flurry of spending promises 15 months into any other term of government it would be rightly ridiculed.

“At the last election, Labor and the Liberals promised everything to everyone and added significantly to the state’s debt crisis. We can’t go to an early election based on a budget crisis and proceed to make matters worse.

“I urge Tasmanians to reject any attempts at pork barrelling. To get ourselves out of the budget mess we’ll need collaboration and discipline.

“I stand ready to work constructively with all sides of politics to bring the budget crisis back under control.”

Media release – Felix Ellis, Minister for Housing, Planning, and Consumer Affairs, 26 June 2025

Liberals to boost infill development

Infill development is key to ensuring Tasmania can continue to deliver more homes, sooner.

Minister for Housing, Planning and Consumer Affairs, Felix Ellis, announced today that a re-elected Liberal Government will allow the building of more housing above shops and commercial premises in urban centres.

“Across our urban centres, double-story shop fronts are prominent features; however, many are not being utilised to their full potential with top floors sitting empty,” Minister Ellis said.

“There are win-wins across the state that will stimulate economic development, invigorate our urban centres, provide jobs, and of course, more homes for more Tasmanians.

“We will introduce targeted exemptions and make regulatory changes that will make it easier to build vacant shop-top homes.

“A re-elected Tasmanian Liberal Government will also support more diverse housing types by simplifying the process for adding an extra home or granny flat on your own block of land by increasing the size restrictions within the Tasmanian Planning Scheme from 60m2 to 90m2.

“This will add value to homeowners wanting to build an additional home on their blocks, with the potential to rent them out, or provide for a growing family.

“To ensure this key development is not stalled, a re-elected Liberal Government will also block any new Federal red tape from driving up the cost of Tasmanian homes, with a nation-first six-year freeze on new mandatory National Construction Code requirements.

“This freeze will give builders and homebuyers the certainty they need, while protecting Tasmanians from unnecessary and costly regulation that adds tens of thousands of dollars to the price of a new home.

“This is about providing more homes, giving Tasmanians jobs and telling investors that Tassie is open for business.”

Media release – Jacquie Petrusma, Liberal Member for Franklin, 27 June 2025

New training program to enhance dementia care across Tasmania

Tasmanian Health Service staff will receive innovative virtual reality training under a re-elected Tasmanian Liberal Government, ensuring those living with dementia stay safe and receive the highest-quality care.

Working with Dementia Australia, our Government will provide the training model, D-Esc, to staff across our four major hospitals and community nursing teams.

D-Esc is a workshop that provides virtual reality training on de-escalating behavioural emergencies related to dementia.

Minister for Health, Jacquie Petrusma, said it is estimated more than 10,600 people are living with dementia in Tasmania, and numbers are projected to increase to about 16,500 by 2054.

“Sadly, people living with dementia are twice as likely to be admitted to hospital, two to three times more likely to have an adverse event in hospital, and more likely to have longer hospital stays,” Minister Petrusma said.

“That’s why we’re getting on with the job of providing more education and training for our Tasmanian Health Service staff.

“The innovative training, D-Esc, teaches staff how stress impacts a person living with dementia, helps them to recognise emotional and physical signs of escalation, and to apply person-centred de-escalation skills.

“This will reduce the risks of harm for both the person living with dementia and our valued health staff, as well as improve personalised care and quality of life for patients and support for their loved ones.

Media release – Tasmanian Council of Social Service (TasCOSS), 26 June 2025

Rental affordability plummeting, Tasmania’s State of Housing Dashboard shows

Tasmanians are being priced out of the private rental market with stock in short supply, new data shows.

TasCOSS, in partnership with Anglicare Tasmania, have released two, new rental affordability indicators on the Tasmania’s State of Housing Dashboard, which highlight the challenges that persist in the private rental market.

TasCOSS CEO, Ms Adrienne Picone, said Tasmania is experiencing a rental affordability crisis and called on parties and candidates to prioritise solutions to bring it under control during the election campaign.

“The dashboard shows rental affordability is at an all-time low in Tasmania, with rental costs increasing by 43% since 2020,” Ms Picone said.

“With rent as a proportion of income continuing to blow out — far more than the 30% ‘rental stress’ threshold — Tasmanians are being forced onto the social housing waitlist or into unsuitable and unsafe lodgings, and in the worst cases, homelessness.

“Finding a rental in a tight market remains near impossible, with Burnie’s rental vacancy rate sitting at 0.7% and Launceston and Hobart not far behind, well short of a healthy vacancy rate of up around 3%.

Anglicare Tasmania’s Social Action and Research Centre Coordinator, Ms Mary Bennett, said available properties remain scarce, which is only increasing competition for rentals and putting upward pressure on rents.

“For the second year running, Anglicare Tasmania’s Rental Affordability Snapshot 2025, found that 0% of properties listed in late March 2025 were affordable for people on the lowest incomes,” Ms Bennett said.

“The lack of affordable rental properties is a barrier to addressing issues, such as domestic and family violence, bed-block in the public hospital system and persistent disadvantage.”

Ms Picone said Homes Tasmania’s progress towards their KPI to deliver more affordable rentals is lagging, with take-up of the Private Rental Incentive Scheme and Family Violence Rapid Rehousing programs going backwards.

“A combined total of 258 homes affordable rental homes have been delivered by these two programs, but with around 44,000 private rentals in Tasmania it will have little to no impact on improving rental affordability in Tasmania and more must be done,” she said.

“We need the next state government to commit to introducing more ambitious policy reforms, starting with urgently bringing forward the review of the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 to provide better protections for renters.

“As highlighted by the Tenants’ Union of Tasmania and others, many Tasmanians are also putting up with substandard rental conditions, such as poorly insulated homes or mould, or taking out loans simply to keep a roof over their heads.

“Tasmanians deserve better. Without government intervention to limit rent rises and increase the availability of appropriate, affordable rental properties, more and more Tasmanians will face homelessness.”

The Tasmania’s State of Housing Dashboard can be accessed at tascoss.org.au/state-of-housing.

Media release – Adrian Pickin, Spokesperson and candidate for Braddon, 26 June 2025

A FAIRER FUTURE FOR RENTERS AND SENIORS

The Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party is calling for common-sense action on housing. While the major parties squabble over billion-dollar vanity projects like the Macquarie Point stadium, everyday Tasmanians are being priced out of their homes.

We are putting forward two practical, people-focused solutions to Tasmania’s housing crisis: real tenancy reform and the construction of public housing for older Tasmanians in need. It’s clear Tasmania is way behind in its public housing stocks.

Fixing the Rental System

Tasmania’s private rental market is in disarray. Rents are skyrocketing, lease terms are insecure, and families are being forced to move every 6–12 months with little notice. Meanwhile, mum-and-dad landlords are being driven out of the market by red tape and investor-driven speculation.

SFF proposes a simple reform: a residential lease model based on commercial leasing practices. This includes:

An initial 12-month lease, with an automatic option to extend for a further two years, unless significant breaches occur.

Rent increases tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), capped at 5% annually.

Incentives for landlords offering longer-term leases, such as reduced land tax.

These changes would stabilise the rental market, protect tenants from unpredictable rent hikes, and give landlords consistent, long-term returns.

Public Housing for Over 55s – A Better Use for Macquarie Point

The Macquarie Point site is one of Hobart’s most valuable and strategic parcels of land. Instead of a billion-dollar stadium that benefits a select few, SFF believes it should be used to build public housing for Tasmanians over 55—a group facing increasing housing stress and invisibility in the system.

Older Tasmanians—particularly single women over 55—are the fastest-growing group at risk of homelessness. Many have worked, raised families and contributed to their communities for decades, only to find themselves priced out of both the rental and homeownership markets in later life.

Public housing in this prime location would:

Provide safe, accessible and community-connected homes for older Tasmanians;

Free up demand pressure in the private rental market;

Deliver real long-term economic and social returns by reducing emergency accommodation costs and health impacts of homelessness;

Honour our seniors by treating them with dignity—not pushing them to the margins.

The Macquarie Point site is already publicly owned. The land is available. The need is urgent. This is the right project, in the right place, for the right people.

Time to Put Tasmanians First

“We want roofs over heads—especially for older Tasmanians who have done the right thing their whole lives and now find themselves with nowhere to go,” said Adrian Pickin, SFF Braddon candidate

“The cost-of-living crisis is real. The housing crisis is real. But the solutions don’t have to be complicated or ideological—they just have to prioritise people over politics.”

The Shooters, Fishers & Farmers Party will continue to fight for practical, balanced, and fair housing reforms that restore security, affordability and dignity for all Tasmanians—whether renting, buying, or ageing in place

Media release – Rosalie Woodruff MP, Greens Leader, 26 June 2025

Better Call Saul: Greens Announce Measures to Tackle the Budget Crisis

Treasury’s shocking Pre-Election Outlook was clear – the Liberals’ business as usual is terrible for Tasmania’s finances, and Labor’s plan won’t make a meaningful difference. The Greens have known this for some time, which is why we’ve been calling for corporates to pay their fair share.

In the face of an ever-worsening budget situation, the major parties are living in a dream world. On one hand, the Liberals are pretending there’s nothing to worry about and they have it in hand. On the other, Labor recognises there’s a huge problem, but won’t consider obvious solutions.

To the Liberal and Labor politicians who refuse to act on the budget situation, we’d say this: better call Saul. Our plan to tackle the budget mess is based on the expert advice of pre-eminent economist, Saul Eslake. He’s pointed out a number of budget fixes, if only the major parties would listen.

The Greens recognise Treasury’s clear call for new revenue. By making mining and salmon farming corporations pay their fair share, and ending subsidies to the greyhound racing industry, Tasmania would be more than $500 million better off. This is obvious and simple stuff, and it would make a real difference.

When we first announced these measures years ago, the Liberals and Labor called us kooky. Now both Treasury and Saul Eslake have made it clear this is not just common-sense, but necessary.

The Liberals have spent a decade giving their corporate mates a free ride, instead of getting them to pay their fair share. And while Labor keep banging on about the terrible budget, they’re not offering any meaningful solutions. Critically, both major parties are still committed to building a billion-dollar stadium in Hobart – a plan that will add $2 billion to the state’s debt.

The budget is important for all Tasmanians because essential services like health, housing and public transport need to be paid for. The Liberal and Labor parties need to get their priorities sorted, make big corporations pay their fair share, and focus on making sure the state budget can meet the needs of our community.

Media release – Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) Tasmania, 27 June 2025

Northern Transit Corridor Development Authority to unlock urban renewal and housing growth

The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) Tasmania welcomes The Greens’ announcement to establish a Northern Transit Corridor Development Authority. The announcement is closely aligned with PIAs recent advocacy efforts on the Hobart to Glenorchy (H2G) urban renewal project.

“A development authority is a tried and trusted model that can unlock much needed housing and drive urban renewal” says Mick Purves MPIA, PIA Tas President.

“This announcement marks a shift in the conversation, from seeing planning as red tape and reform to recognising planning as a key enabler for housing, jobs and better social and economic outcomes for Tasmanians.”

“PIA has consistently advocated for a refocusing of priorities that put Tasmanian communities first – on creating well-planned places and well-designed, equitable housing through our planning system. Good planning elevates long-term thinking, place-based knowledge and strong social outcomes that serve the public interest for decades to come” says Mr. Purves.

PIA looks forward to continuing our strong advocacy in working with all political parties and independents to realise this ambitious initiative for all Tasmanians.

Media release – Dean Winter, Labor Leader, 26 June 2025

A Fresh Start for working parents – more before and after school care under Labor

A Dean Winter Labor Government will give working families the Fresh Start they deserve by doubling the funding available to upgrade and build new before and after school care facilities across Tasmania.

Tasmanian families are struggling with the cost of living, and many parents are forced to give up extra hours at work because there simply isn’t before or after school care available near them.

Under Labor, funding will be brought forward to deliver at least 20 upgrades within the next two years – providing safe, fun, and educational care for primary school children and giving more parents the flexibility they need to work the hours that help them pay their bills.

This is about giving children quality care, easing pressure on parents, and unlocking workforce participation. It’s good for families and good for the economy.

Labor’s plan will:

• Double funding to upgrade or build new before and after school facilities.
• Fast-track delivery by bringing funding forward to get as many upgrades done as possible in the next two years.
• Start work on priority locations immediately, and continue working with the 50 Tasmanian schools that have indicated clear demand.
• Partner with service providers to tailor the best service models for each site.

After 11 years, the Liberals have done nothing to help families access more outside school hours care.

Media release – Meg Webb, independent MLC for Nelson, 27 June 2025

Pokies Losses Skyrocket Despite Less Machines and Venues

Tasmanians have lost a shocking $16.4 million on poker machines for the month of May, the highest monthly amount for 2025, and setting a concerning trajectory towards the state recording the highest annual pokies losses seen for a decade, according to Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb MLC.

“Treasury data released today reveals Tasmanians lost $16, 439, 122 on pokies during May alone, the highest monthly amount recorded for 2025, despite there being less machines and less venues since this time last year,” Ms Webb said.

“Tasmanians lost more than $530 000 every single day in May.

“This is a shocking and deeply disturbing trajectory for Tasmania to be on, especially considering evidence demonstrates that around half of this comes from people experiencing pokies addiction.

“We are on track to see annual losses for 2024-25 of over $190 million which would be a decade high pokies losses figure for our state.

“The promised life-saving mandatory pokies card was on track to be delivered this year before being abandoned in 2024 by both Labor and Liberal leaders no doubt due to pressure from their pokies industry mates.

“While the Labor and Liberal parties cravenly cozy up to their pokies industry donors, they have abandoned Tasmanians suffering homelessness, domestic violence, lost jobs, mental health crisis and family breakdowns due to addictive harmful pokies.

“This election provides all candidates a clear opportunity to pledge their commitment to implementing the pokies card as planned as a priority.

“The pokies card will save lives.  How could any responsible candidate refuse to sign up to that?”

Ms Webb explained that monthly pokies losses data is provided in arrears hence the losses for May are published at the end of June.

Latest Treasury data for May 2025 is online here: https://www.treasury.tas.gov.au/liquor-and-gaming/gambling/community-information/gambling-data/gaming-machine-expenditure-by-financial-year

Media release – Greg Melick AO KC Chief Commissioner, 26 June 2025

Reinforcing the importance of confidentiality

In the lead-up to the State election on 19 July 2025, the Integrity Commission takes the opportunity to remind Members of Parliament about the Commission’s obligation to maintain the confidentiality of its investigations, and the importance of not speculating about the identity of individuals or organisations who may be involved in our matters.

The statement we issued in April 2024 is available on our website at: https://integrity.tas.gov.au/about/news-and-events/2024/media-statement-integrity-commission-confidentiality-provisions

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