Tasmanian Business Reporter April 2018

4 Tasmanian Business Reporter - APRIL 2018
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
www.tcci.com.au
Lessons from the election
Michael
Bailey
TCCI Chief Executive
THE State Election has
been run and won by
Will Hodgman’s Liberal
Government, only the
second time the Liberals
have won back-to-back.
While congratulations
go to the Liberal Party,
it is interesting to ponder
on what happened at the
election and what lessons
we can take from the result.
Whichever way you
look at it, the election
was a confirmation that
the Tasmanian public are
more than comfortable
with how the Hodgman
Government has managed
our state.
There is no doubt that
the last four years have
been a triumph for Tasmania
and a stark change
from the years prior.
What is also clear is
that the Liberals will
have to work hard to deliver
its suite of election
promises. And the TCCI
will be there through the
next four years to hold
them to account.
Treasurer Peter Gutwein’s
next Budget will
make for an extremely
interesting examination.
I also want to tip my
hat to Labor Leader Rebecca
White. In four
years’ time, she will be
even more formidable -
poised to take the reins
of government should
the Liberals falter.
However, I think that
there are other things
that we can learn from
this result.
• The Tasmanian
Greens must evolve.
I know that this has
been spoken about by
others, including former
Greens leader Peg Putt,
but they are simply not
resonating with the community
as they used to.
It will be interesting to
see if they move closer to
the centre or try to rekindle
the protests to regain
relevance.
Will Hodgman and the Liberals ran a strong campaign and now have a mandate to deliver their
suite of election promises, including the take over of Taswater
• On primary votes,
Labor really didn’t dent
the Government much.
Yes they have won
three seats back, perhaps
more admirable with the
retirements of Lara Giddings
and David Llewellyn,
but they will need to
do much more to win in
four years.
Labor faced several
issues through the campaign,
including a difficulty
in articulating a
clear vision for Tasmania.
In my opinion, Labor’s
poker machine policy
was an own goal of monumental
proportions. It
was not popular, particularly
in the regions.
I heard this loud and
clear in my travels and I
can only image the heat
that the party must have
been getting. I was not
surprised Federal Labor
Leader Bill Shorten distanced
himself from the
policy.
• The new Liberal
Government has a clear
mandate for a series of
policies, including the
proposed takeover of
TasWater.
It will be interesting
to see if the Legislative
Council respects the will
of the Tasmanian people.
It will be very disappointing
if they vote
against such policies.
I am a strong supporter
of an independent Legislative
Council and believe
that a Labor bloc (if
it does exist as the Treasurer
suggests) would be
against the intention of
this important House.
• As I said before, the
Liberal Government has
made a series of significant
spending commitments.
The TCCI will
hold them to account for
each and every one of
them.
March also saw the
shock passing of former
State politician and
cricketer Tony Benneworth.
Tony drowned,
with his mate Tony
Long, in a boating incident
at Ansons Bay.
I met Tony more than
30 years ago and had
enjoyed his friendship,
counsel, thoughts and
joint passion for Carlton
since.
He was a man with
great passion and enthusiasm
with everything he
did. VALE Tony Benneworth.
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