Analysis: The Liberal government will leave unfinished business

The Liberal government will leave unfinished business behind when it draws a line under its third term, Political editor David Killick writes. Read the analysis

Tasmanian parliament Question Time, Premier Jeremy Rockliff. Picture: Chris Kidd

The Liberal government will leave unfinished business behind when it draws a line under its third term.

Setting aside the four-lane Midland Highway and the underground bus mall, important reforms in gaming, to electoral donations and conversion law reform are still pending.

Expect a flurry of appointments and announcements before the government goes into caretaker mode, for example the announcement of two new appointments to the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The government’s response to the Commission of Inquiry is a work in progress, the blighted Ashley Detention Centre remains open and a fresh election means it will be a future parliament which has the last word on the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium project.

Hot Air Balloon Tasmania during a flight from Deloraine to Hagley, Ashley Youth Detention Centre. PICTURE CHRIS KIDD

Mandatory card-based precommitment for gaming announced by now Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson in 2021 had been announced but not yet implemented. It is currently slated for December 1.

Independent MLC Meg Webb on Tuesday called on Labor for come clean on whether it would continue to back the scheme’s implementation. Labor denied doing any deals with the pokies lobby.

The proroguing of parliament means a reset to the House of Assembly notice paper: all pending legislation drops off, all committees are dissolved and the clock is ticking on legislation which has been passed but not proclaimed or implemented.

That means the Privileges and Conduct Committee examining Guy Barnett’s compliance with an order to produce Marinuslink costings will not continue and the committee looking into the effects of ambulance ramping will be dissolved without finishing its work.

Marinus Link converter station site at Heybridge, looking out over Bass Strait. Picture: Supplied

In addition, the appointment Premier Jeremy Rockliff and public sector chief Jenny Gale has before a committee examining responses to the Commission of Inquiry will be scrubbed from the calendar.

Among inquiries commissioned but not yet reported are the Blake and Woolcott reviews into aspects of the Commission of Inquiry responses as well as the Bugg review into police surveillance and the Weiss review into the actions of the late Sergent Paul Reynolds.

Among the pending reforms that face an uncertain future are reforms to the fire service levy, legislation to ban gay conversion therapy, for a proposed Judicial Commission, and legislation which would allow parents to find out whether pedophiles were in contact with their children.

The Residential Building (Home Warranty Insurance Amendments) Bill, intended to protect

home buyers from shonky builders is not yet in operation.

And the long-promised new ticketing system for public transport will also have to wait.

Originally published as Analysis: The Liberal government will leave unfinished business