The Liberals’ freshest face in the lower house Sue Hickey has been elected as Speaker in a shock development on the first day of the new Parliament, with the government’s nomination for the role, Rene Hidding, suffering defeat in a secret ballot.
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Opposition Leader Rebecca White orchestrated the newly elected Hodgman Liberal government’s first significant defeat by nominating the former Hobart Lord Mayor Ms Hickey for the Speaker role.
Ms White’s nomination was seconded by Greens leader Cassy O’Connor.
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A secret ballot followed, which saw Ms Hickey win the speakership by 13 votes to Mr Hidding’s 12.
In an address to Parliament on Tuesday night, Ms Hickey said she would vote independently on legislation should she be compelled to use her casting vote.
She also said she would not be attending party room meetings.
If Ms Hickey does, indeed, act as an independent Speaker, it could plunge Premier Will Hodgman’s government into minority, as it only holds a one-seat majority.
But Mr Hodgman said Ms Hickey provided him a guarantee of supply and confidence following her election to the role on Tuesday.
He congratulated the new Speaker and said she “continues to be a member of the Liberal Party”.
Ms O’Connor had previously said she would support the government’s nomination of Mr Hidding.
But Mr Hidding, an elder statesman of the Liberal Party, will now sit on the backbench for the foreseeable future, having not been granted a ministry under the assumption he would fill the Speaker’s chair.
Ms Hickey was a notable omission when Mr Hodgman announced his new Cabinet following the election.
Prior to the election, Ms Hickey publicly stated her desire for a ministry, namely State Growth.
Outside Parliament following the speakership ballot, Ms Hickey denied she had accepted the nomination out of spite for not being given a ministry.
“I haven’t betrayed anybody – I’ve had a vote of confidence from the Parliament,” she told media.
It's just politics.
- Speaker of the House of Assembly Sue Hickey
When queried about the response to her election to the speakership, Ms Hickey said “a few people are a bit grumpy”.
“It’s just politics,” she said.
Mr Hidding, whose wife was present in the public gallery on Tuesday morning, now joins Lyons Liberal MHA Mark Shelton and Braddon Liberal MHA Adam Brooks on the backbench.
In a statement, Mr Hidding congratulated Ms Hickey on her election, adding there was “no prouder MP in the Tasmanian Parliament than me”.
“Following today’s democratic procedures, [Mr Hodgman] has asked me to be an active member in my electorate, and serve on many committees of the Parliament,” he said.
“I look forward, with a sense of honour, in serving in these important roles.”
Ms Hickey will fill the speakership vacancy left by Mr Shelton.
Ms White said she had seen an “opportunity” to nominate a “more independent” Speaker in Ms Hickey.
Labor held a party meeting on Monday to discuss the potential to nominate Ms Hickey for the speakership.
“What we have is an outcome … for the people of Tasmania, which means they have a Parliament now that is one of the most truly democratic places that we’ve had in a very long time; where every piece of legislation can be scrutinised based on its merits and whether it is in the best interest of Tasmania,” Ms White said.
”We have a Speaker who has committed to being independent and will cast her vote accordingly.
“I didn’t know whether or not Sue Hickey would accept the nomination.”
Ms White said she had a conversation with Ms O’Connor about whether or not the Greens would support the nomination of Ms Hickey.
Ms O’Connor gave the assurance that her party would support the move.
On Tuesday, Ms O’Connor said the Greens were prepared to support Mr Hidding’s bid to be Speaker “while [he] … was the only nominee for Speaker”.
“We believe Ms Hickey will be a balanced and independent Speaker,” Ms O’Connor said.
