On Friday Mr Bushby announced his intention to resign to the President of the Senate after serving as a Tasmanian Liberal senator for 11 years.

Liberal state director Sam McQuestin said there were multiple steps for the party to take before recommending a candidate to parliament, with the first being advertising for candidates for the federal Tasmanian senate seat.

There has already been discussion around potential candidates, including Hobart councillor Tanya Denison, former Young Liberals president Claire Chandler, Devonport businesswoman Stacey Sheehan and former Liberal senior vice-president Wendy Summers, who is Senator Bushby’s sister.

“It is up to those interested to make their own comment [about their chances],” Mr McQuestin said.

Applications close on Friday, January 25, after which the Liberals will hold a preselection meeting.

“At that preselection meeting there will be a democratic vote … by 13 members from each of the five electorates across the state and the state president and the Senate vice president, which is 67 people,” Mr McQuestin said.

“They will make a recommendation to the state executive and that recommendation will then be presented to parliament, which then makes the appointment,” he said.

The Liberal party’s decision should be made by the first few days of February, with parliament expected to ratify the party’s choice, but this is not always the case, Mr McQuestin said.

“We will have done our process so the person recommended can return,” he said.

“Parliament next sits on March 10. There are reasons it can be be done before then, but that is a matter for parliament to decide. The Governor has made appointments before [parliament sits] and parliament can ratify that within 14 days.”

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