Tasmanian Government

2025-10-22T12:32:29Z

2001:4479:2106:7F00:9140:A5D9:8D14:AC53: /* Other levels of government */ minor fixes to this section

{{Short description|State government of Tasmania, Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{ Infobox executive government
| border = state
| image = Tasmanian Government logo.svg
| image_size = 150px
| caption =
| date = {{bulleted list|{{start date and age|1856|12|02|df=yes}} as [[Responsible government|responsible colonial government]]|{{start date and age|1901|01|01|df=yes}} as an [[States and territories of Australia|Australian state]]}}
| state = {{flag|Tasmania}}
| country = {{flag|Australia}}
| leader_title = [[Premier of Tasmania]] ([[Jeremy Rockliff]])
| appointed = [[Governor of Tasmania]] ([[Barbara Baker]]) on behalf of the [[Monarchy of Australia|King]] ([[Charles III]])
| main_organ = {{plainlist|
* Executive Council of Tasmania
* [[Cabinet of Tasmania]]
}}
| ministries = [[list of Tasmanian government agencies| 8 Government Departments]]
| responsible = [[Parliament of Tasmania]]
| budget = $8.7 billion (2023–2024)<ref>{{Cite web |last= Tasmanian Government |date=May 2023 |title=The Budget: Budget Paper no. 1|url=https://www.treasury.tas.gov.au/Documents/2023-24-Budget-Paper-No-1.pdf}}</ref>
| address = Executive Building<br />15 Murray Street, [[Hobart]]
| url = {{URL|tas.gov.au}}
}}

The '''Tasmanian Government''' is the [[executive branch]] of the [[Australian state]] of [[Tasmania]]. The leader of the party or coalition with the [[Confidence and supply|confidence]] of the [[Tasmanian House of Assembly|House of Assembly]], the lower house of the [[Parliament of Tasmania]], is invited by the [[governor of Tasmania]] to form the executive. The governor appoints the [[premier of Tasmania]].

Since 8 April 2022, the premier of Tasmania has been [[Jeremy Rockliff]], leader of the [[Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division)|Liberal Party]]. The current ministry of Tasmania is the [[Second Rockliff ministry]].

==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 [[bicameralism|bicameral]] [[Parliament of Tasmania]], which consists of the [[governor of Tasmania]], and the two chambers: the [[Tasmanian Legislative Council|Legislative Council]] and the [[Tasmanian House of Assembly|House of Assembly]].<ref>[http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/tas/consol_act/ca1934188/s10.html Constitution Act 1934 (Tas) s.10]</ref>

Executive power rests formally with the [[Executive Council (Commonwealth countries)|Executive Council]], consisting of the governor and senior ministers, and informally called the [[Cabinet (government)|Cabinet]]. In practice, executive power is exercised by the [[premier of Tasmania]] upon the advice of the Cabinet. Cabinet members are appointed by the governor but 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 of Australia|federation]], Tasmania accepted the authority of the federal [[High Court of Australia]] to overrule the state judiciary.
{{clear}}

== Cabinet of Tasmania ==
{{See|Cabinet of Tasmania}}{{Excerpt|Third Rockliff ministry|Current composition}}{{Politics of Tasmania}}

==Tasmanian government agencies==
{{main|List of Tasmanian government agencies}}

The Tasmanian Government delivers services, determines policy, and issues regulations through a number of [[government agency|agencies]] grouped under areas of portfolio responsibility. Each portfolio is led by a Secretary, who reports to one or more [[Minister (government)|government minister]]s, a member of Parliament. Since reorganisation in 2022<ref>{{cite web |title=Department Structures to Strengthen Tasmanian Outcomes |url=https://www.premier.tas.gov.au/site_resources_2015/additional_releases/department_structures_to_strengthen_tasmanian_outcomes |website=Premier of Tasmania |access-date=18 April 2023 |language=en}}</ref> the departmental structure is the following
* [[Department of Education (Tasmania)|Department of Education, Children and Young People]]
*[[Department of Health (Tasmania)|Department of Health]]
* Department of Justice
* Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management
* Department of Premier and Cabinet
* [[Department of Natural Resources and Environment (Tasmania)|Department of Natural Resources and Environment]]
* [[Department of State Growth]]
* Department of Treasury and Finance

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

=== State-owned enterprises ===
The Government of Tasmania also owns and operates a number of [[State-owned enterprise|state-owned companies]]:<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.treasury.tas.gov.au/domino/dtf/dtf.nsf/v-gbe/F1B547854E96C154CA2578FD0009A37D|title = Tasmanian Government Businesses|website=Tasmanian Department of Treasury and Finance|publisher = Tasmanian Government}}</ref>
* [[Aurora Energy (Tasmania)|Aurora Energy]]: electricity and gas retailer.
* [[Forestry Tasmania|Sustainable Timber 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:<ref>https://www.tasmanianirrigation.com.au/</ref> 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. Metro is under ''de-facto'' administration of the Department of State Growth.
* Motor Accidents Insurance Board: public insurance resulting from car accidents.
* [[Port Arthur, Tasmania|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.
* [[TasNetworks]]: electricity transmission and distribution.
* [[TasPorts]]: port management and stevedoring.
* Tasracing: the operator of Tasmania's horse and dog racing venues, management of betting
* [[TasRail]]: rail freight transportation, railway management.
* [[Spirit of Tasmania|TT-Line Company]]: operates the Bass Strait ferries.

==Other levels of government==

===Federal representation of Tasmania===
{{See also|Results of the 2025 Australian federal election in Tasmania}}

As a state of Australia, Tasmania is represented in the federal [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and [[Australian Senate|Senate]]. Tasmania has five representatives in the federal House of Representatives for the electoral divisions of [[Division of Bass|Bass]], [[Division of Braddon|Braddon]], [[Division of Denison|Denison]], [[Division of Franklin|Franklin]] and [[Division of Lyons|Lyons]]. In line with other states, Tasmania also has twelve Senators.
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="6" |[[Australian House of Representatives]]
|-
! colspan="2" |Party
!Faction
!Representative
!Background
!Representative since
|-
| {{Australian party style|labor}} |
|[[Australian Labor Party|Labor]]
|[[Labor Left|Socialist Left]]
|[[Jess Teesdale]]
|[[Teacher]]
|3 May 2025
|-
| {{Australian party style|labor}}|
|[[Australian Labor Party|Labor]]
|[[Labor Left|Socialist Left]]
|[[Anne Urquhart]]
|Former Senator
|3 May 2025
|-
| {{Australian party style|labor}}|
|[[Australian Labor Party|Labor]]
| [[Labor Left|Socialist Left]]
|[[Rebecca White]]
|Former state MLA
|3 May 2025
|-
| {{Australian party style|labor}}|
|[[Australian Labor Party|Labor]]
| [[Labor Left|Socialist Left]]
|[[Julie Collins]]
|Labor staffer
|24 November 2007
|-
|{{Australian party style|independent}}|
|[[Independent politician|Independent]]
|''N/A''
|[[Andrew Wilkie]]
|Army soldier
|21 August 2010
|-
! colspan="6" |[[Australian Senate]]
|-
! colspan="2" |Party
!Faction
!Senator
!Background
!Senator since
|-
| {{Australian party style|liberal}}|
|[[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]]
|[[National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|National Right]]
|[[Wendy Askew]]
|Political adviser
|6 March 2019
|-
| {{Australian party style|liberal}}|
|[[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]]
|[[National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|National Right]]
|[[Claire Chandler]]
|Liberal organiser
|1 July 2019
|-
| {{Australian party style|liberal}}|
|[[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]]
|[[National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)|National Right]]
|[[Jonathon Duniam]]
|Liberal staffer
|2 July 2016
|-
| {{Australian party style|liberal}}|
|[[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]]
|[[Moderates (Liberal Party of Australia)|Moderate]]
|[[Richard Colbeck]]
|[[Devonport City Council]]
|2002–2016, 9 February 2018
|-
| {{Australian party style|labor}}|
|[[Australian Labor Party|Labor]]
| [[Labor Left|Socialist Left]]
|[[Carol Brown (politician)|Carol Brown]]
|Labor staffer
|25 August 2005
|-
| {{Australian party style|labor}}|
|[[Australian Labor Party|Labor]]
| [[Labor Left|Socialist Left]]
|[[Josh Dolega]]
|Union official
|27 May 2025
|-
| {{Australian party style|labor}}|
|[[Australian Labor Party|Labor]]
| [[Labor Right|Right]]
|[[Helen Polley]]
|Labor staffer
|1 July 2005
|-
| {{Australian party style|labor}}|
|[[Australian Labor Party|Labor]]
| [[Labor Right|Right]]
|[[Richard Dowling (Australian politician)|Richard Dowling]]
|Economist
|1 July 2025
|-
|{{Australian party style|greens}}|
|[[Australian Greens|Greens]]
|[[Australian Greens|Mainstream]]
|[[Nick McKim]]
|Former state MLA
|19 August 2015
|-
|{{Australian party style|greens}}|
|[[Australian Greens|Greens]]
|[[Australian Greens|Mainstream]]
|[[Peter Whish-Wilson]]
|[[Australian Defence Force Academy|ADFA]]
|20 June 2012
|-
|{{Australian party style|lambie}}|
|[[Jacqui Lambie Network|Lambie]]
|''N/A''
|[[Jacqui Lambie]]
|Army soldier
|2014–2017, 1 July 2019
|-
|{{Australian party style|independent}}|
|[[Independent politician|Independent]]
|''N/A''
|[[Tammy Tyrrell]]
|Lambie staffer
|1 July 2022
|-
! colspan="6" |[[Cabinet of Australia]]
|-
! colspan="2" |Party
!Faction
!Minister
!Portfolio
!Minister since
|-
|{{Australian party style|labor}}|
|[[Australian Labor Party|Labor]]
|[[Labor Left|Socialist Left]]
|[[Julie Collins]]
|[[Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry|Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry]]
|''intermittently since 2011''
|-
|}

===Local government in Tasmania===
{{Main|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, Tasmania|Launceston]], [[Burnie, Tasmania|Burnie]], and [[Devonport, Tasmania|Devonport]]) and twenty-three municipalities. The largest council (by number of eligible voters) is the City of Launceston and the smallest council is the Flinders Council (which serves [[Flinders Island]] and the surrounds, with just over 800 electors)

==See also==
{{Portal|Australia|Government}}
* [[Constitution of Tasmania]]
* [[List of Tasmanian government agencies]]
* [[Local government in Tasmania]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.tas.gov.au/ Government of Tasmania website]
*[https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/tas/consol_act/ca1934188/ The Constitution of Tasmania] in [[AustLII]]
*[https://foundingdocs.gov.au/resources/transcripts/tas4_doc_1934.pdf Constitution Act 1934 (Tas)] as enacted

{{Government of Tasmania}}
{{Tasmania}}
{{Politics of Australia}}
{{Government of Australia by state}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Government of Tasmania]]

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Tasmanian Government