Democracy takes a hit when MPs are scarce

Tasmania is the last Parliament to get to work this year. Federal Parliament resumes on February 2, Victoria February 9, South Australia, February 10, Queensland and Western Australia, February 16 and NSW, February 23.

Both Houses of the Tasmanian Parliament won't sit together until March 15. This paucity of assembly by the seat of government and Parliament is quite confronting for a state, at the bottom of the economic pile among all states and territories.

The House of Assembly adjourned last year on November 19. Students certainly enjoy a long summer break but not as long as this.

The pollies are quick to remind us that when Parliament is not sitting they are out and about, busy in their electorates. That's true, but when they do sit and are required to base themselves in Hobart it's for only three days a week.

Indeed, this year the House of Assembly will sit for 45 days, plus a further six days for committee work. The actual sitting dates constitute 13 per cent of the year.

They should realise that in 1998 they slashed the number of politicians available for constituents by 14. That was a massive drop in representation available for Tasmanians.

On top of this they scarcely meet. The less time they make Parliament available as a forum of influence and dissent for electors the less representation we have. In a quiet way, democracy takes a hit.

Apart from politicians' salaries, it costs $13 million a year to run the Tasmanian Parliament. It's a lot of money to maintain a building that is fully operational for only 13 per cent of the year.

Former prime minister Paul Keating once aptly described Parliament as a clearing house for ideas. They're our ideas, and if you keep the building locked up long enough it's we who suffer.