In the last Parliament something unusual happened in Tasmanian politics — and it worked.

For the first time in years the House of Assembly wasn’t dominated by a single party or reduced to the usual standoff between government and opposition.

Instead, we had a genuinely shared Parliament — with a large and diverse crossbench that included independents, Greens and another party (Jacquie Lambie Network).

Some called it a “minority parliament” as though that were a flaw. But what we actually saw was the benefit of power sharing: a Parliament where a broader range of voices helped shape the agenda and outcomes.

This Parliament achieved real and tangible improvements to people’s lives — progress that would likely never have occurred in a tightly controlled, major-party-dominated chamber.

When independents, Greens and other minor parties hold the balance of power, inconvenient issues get raised — the ones that don’t fit neatly into political talking points or party lines.

One example was my questioning of the Premier in Parliament that forced him to reveal he was bypassing the Project of State Significance process for the stadium that most Tasmanians don’t want.

Issues like housing, family violence, political transparency, environmental harm and poverty were brought into the spotlight because crossbenchers insisted on it.

Thanks to that power sharing, Parliament passed several landmark laws. One of the most important was my Family Violence Amendment Bill, which gives stronger protection to women with Family Violence Orders including by making it easier for courts to extend an order — removing a costly and potentially fatal barrier to protection. This law is already making a difference to victim-survivors who need certainty and safety.

We also saw laws passed that recognise harm to animals as a form of family violence — an important acknowledgement that abusers can use pets to control and coerce.

Parliament also removed the crime of begging from our statutes, a demeaning and outdated law that punished poverty instead of addressing it.

These aren’t headline-grabbing bills and they may never have made it to debate if it weren’t for the crossbench. But they matter deeply to the people —and animals — affected.

Crossbenchers also pushed for greater integrity in politics. In a significant win for transparency, Parliament passed new laws to lower the disclosure threshold for political donations from $5,000 to $1,000, and to require more frequent reporting. These changes come into effect on 1 July — not quite in time to influence this election, but a big step forward for public accountability.

And it’s not just in legislation that the crossbench made a difference.

Motions — often dismissed as symbolic — have played a strategic role in pushing policy onto the public and political agenda.

The House of Assembly agreed to my motion calling for budget responsibility, which outlined a clear path to repair the state’s finances. That included the creation of a Parliamentary Budget Office — a powerful tool to help all MPs scrutinise spending — and an end to pork barreling.

These ideas now have a foothold in public debate. They’re no longer easy to ignore. That’s the value of a Parliament where independents and Greens can bring forward serious proposals that force governments to respond.

This election, we’re at risk of losing all that progress.

A return to a Parliament dominated by Labor and the Liberals would be a step backwards.

On many key issues — pokies, salmon farming, native forest logging and the billion-dollar stadium — the major parties walk in lockstep. Too often, they prioritise donors and vested interests over community needs.

Democracy needs diversity. And it needs a Parliament where people outside the party system have the power to represent the voiceless and hold those in power to account.

Power sharing works — for democracy, for transparency and for people. That’s the kind of Parliament Tasmania deserves.

Kristie Johnston is an independent MHA representing Clark. She was first elected to the House of Assembly in 2022 after serving as the Mayor of Glenorchy.

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.

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