The air in the Tally room was thick with the familiar tension of a post-election analysis, but for Peter George, an Independent now firmly seated on the crossbench of Tasmania’s 35-member Parliament, it was a moment for a stark, unvarnished truth.
“Honestly,” he began, his voice cutting through the typical political rhetoric, “we have got to get a much more mature parliament than a bunch of squabblers.”
He’d been observing the usual Labor-Liberal skirmishes, a dance he clearly found tiresome and counterproductive.
His message was unequivocal: the era of majority governments in Tasmania was over.
“Never again in Tasmania will there be a majority government,” he declared, a prognosis that echoed the recent election results, which so far has seen neither of the traditional major parties secure the 18 seats needed for a clear majority.
Sarah Lovell, the Labor Legislative Council member for Rumney agreed with George’s overall sentiment, emphasising the need for ‘cool heads to be making decisions.’ Lovell acknowledged George’s excitement over his election success but cautioned that “it is incumbent on every single member that is being elected to this parliament to act with maturity,” she said.
She also suggested that George might ‘find himself having to make some decisions that will require some kind of compromise, as will every member of parliament.’
This highlights a shared understanding that the path forward for a minority government necessitates collaboration and give-and-take from all sides.
George, a former ABC foreign correspondent and a vocal anti-salmon activist, positioned the crossbench—which now includes five Greens, and a number of other independents like himself, yet to be confirmed—as a pivotal force.
If the major parties couldn’t engage with them in the previous parliament, he argued, that was their failing, not the crossbench’s.
“We need some maturity from those two old parties to negotiate a way through that gives us four years of stable government for the benefit of all Tasmanians, not for party political interests,” he said.
Eric Abetz, a political veteran with experience as a Senate leader, affirmed the importance of a ‘collaborative approach with the independent cross bench.’
He conceded, “Look, of course, you know, when I was Senate leader, that was something that I did on a daily basis, so I know what Peter George is talking about.”
Abetz however, offered a gentle rebuke to George, reminding him “with the deepest of respect to Peter that it’s not all a one way street that whoever that he wants to deal with has to concede everything that he wants.”
He also took issue with George’s characterisation of the parliament as ‘a bunch of squabbles,’ arguing that “the vast majority of the stuff that goes through Parliament goes through without a division, there has been a lot of collaboration,” said Abetz.
He also pointed out the hypocrisy of George’s call to ‘stop the name calling and grow up’ while simultaneously ‘calling others zombies.’
Despite this, he expressed optimism: “The good news is the campaign’s over, and I think there is a mindset of people now to work collaboratively and get the parliament underway, whatever its form might be.”
Leon Compton, from ABC Tasmania mornings, pressed George on the quid pro quo for this offered stability asking, “What would Peter George want in return for those four years of stable governance?”
George didn’t hesitate, listing a series of tangible, pressing issues.
Top of his list was a fundamental shift in education, aiming for ‘better education outcomes that benefits young Tasmanians and helps teachers to achieve what they can do.’
Then, the housing crisis: a direct, numerical target to ‘reducing the 5000 people on the waiting list to get proper shelter over their heads.’
“Rebuilding the struggling health system was also a priority,” said George.
But his ‘bottom line,’ as he put it, centered on three critical and often contentious issues.
First, the contentious stadium project.
“We cannot afford a stadium that will end up at $2 billion dollars,” he asserted, rejecting any notion of being ‘bullied by the AFL.’
He pointed out the ‘ludicrous’ situation of spending ‘$130 million at York Park in Launceston to improve the facilities there,’ arguing that Tasmania could have male and female AFL teams without a new, exorbitantly priced stadium.
Second, the salmon farming industry.
George was resolute: “We have to stop the decimation of our waterways by the multinational salmon farms. We have to stop supporting them, and we have to stop the expansion into our waters.”
This position stems from his long-standing activism against the environmental impact of large-scale aquaculture in Tasmania’s pristine waters.
Finally, he called for a properly financed integrity commission to ‘restore Tasmanians faith in their government, their bureaucracy and in public life.’
For George, it appears transparency and accountability are non-negotiable foundations for effective governance.
When asked if he had engaged with the major parties, George’s response was telling.
“All I’ve heard from the party so far is abuse that I’m apparently a radical,” he stated, adding with a wry touch, “whereas, in fact, my politics in any other part of the world would be considered so much middle of the road that I’d probably be run over.”
The silence from the major parties, he noted, was ‘not unexpected,’ but he delivered a clear challenge: “they need to start getting their act together. They need to start talking to the crossbench,” he said.
His frustration with the perceived immaturity of the major parties boiled over when Sabra Lane from ABC Radio Current Affairs program AM asked if he had confidence in Jeremy Rockliff or Dean Winter to negotiate with a large crossbench.
“No, I don’t,” he declared bluntly. He accused them of being ‘self-serving and looking after themselves,’ rather than focusing on ‘ordinary, everyday Tasmanians.’
He dismissed the radical label hurled at him by some, including Abetz, with a shrug:
“I think I’m as Green as a seasick sailor, as far as Eric Abetz is concerned,” he said.
His closing remarks were a plea for maturity and collaboration:
“Let’s put the campaign on the back burner now… let’s collaborate. Let’s show some real maturity. These are two old parties. Let’s hope they can grow up,” said George.
George’s narrative, now enriched by the critical but ultimately hopeful commentary from other political observers, painted a picture of a Tasmanian political landscape on the cusp of significant change, where the power now firmly rests not just with the traditional parties, but very likely with a diverse and determined crossbench demanding a new era of collaborative governance, one that will undoubtedly require compromise from all sides
Tasmanian Times (TT) is a community-based news and current affairs service covering the island state of Tasmania. It exists to provide a diverse view of Tasmanian issues. TT creates and supports independent media content utilising the best of modern technologies and tried-and-true practices of public-interest journalism.
Support us in expanding our coverage and developing new content by and for Tasmanians.
New initiatives on the way include:
- a weekly podcast covering current affairs
- a revamped website
- a monthly cartoon competition
- a user-friendly app for both Android and Apple devices
- a weekly roundup of key stories
