Published in The Mercury Newspaper, Monday 1st April 2024
The plot thickens in Tasmanian politics. When did Jackie Lambie first know that Tammy Tyrrell was going to leave the Jackie Lambie Network? Seems a coincidence that Tammy left a few days after the recent state election.
All bodes well for the next state parliament with the obvious question being how long will the soon to be elected JLN members stay in the party. Let’s not forget Jackie herself was a member of Clive Palmer’s Party before she jumped ship, five months into her first term.
As much as the public are turning away from the major parties, these minor groupings never do themselves any favours with the history of members leaving after getting elected as long as the line up to the bar at a Jack Jumpers game.
The Tasmanian Liberals warned us of a “Coalition of Chaos” and their prophecy seems to be fulfilled albeit from their own making going to yet another earlier election.
Ten years of Liberals and four state elections in that time, no wonder I was left perplexed when in the Tally room on election night the Liberal faithful started a chant of “four more years”. Of all the recently made promises, four more years is the most optimistic.
For the sake of small business and the wider community we want to see a stable parliament. There is no appetite for further elections any time soon.
The Liberals are going to form a minority Government and I urge their new minority partners to let them deliver on their recently made promises and platforms.
Edwin Johnstone
Chair, Confederation of Greater Hobart Business
