Several members have nominated to fill the Milne vacancy and no doubt they are all desirable candidates.

But, Mr McKim fits the bill.

He has experience with the nuances of minority government, even serving as a cabinet minister in a coalition with Labor.

He is articulate. One could argue that he is currently State Parliament's best debater. He also has oodles of leadership experience.

When Mrs Milne bows out of federal politics it will herald an end to an extended era of federal politics when Tasmania sponsored the leader of the Australian Greens, with Mrs Milne and her predecessor Bob Brown.

In terms of environmental politics it gave Tasmania unprecedented clout, far above its weight. The Greens have chosen their leadership successor to Senator Milne, in Victorian Senator Richard Di Natale, but together with Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, Mr McKim would add grunt to Tasmania's Senate contingent.

It counts for something. Sit down tonight and list from memory every Tasmanian Senator. If you get beyond Senator Milne, Senator Jacqui Lambie and Liberal Senator Eric Abetz, and maybe Senator Richard Colbeck because of his parliamentary secretary duties you are doing extremely well.

Love them or hate our federal pollies for their views and ideology, it is still imperative that Tasmania marshals every talent and every leverage at its disposal.

We are a small state, too dependent on federal funding and not endowed enough with commerce, natural resources or federal functions that would attract significant automatic expenditure such as defence facilities.

We have only five seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives. Therefore our Senate representation and effectiveness is critical.

The Greens should be mindful of this when endorsing their new senator. So should all state branches of our political parties.

Otherwise we will be overlooked as a state, again and again.