Significant, but no killer

THE Hodgman Government is not — yet — a minority one. But yesterday’s day of high political drama has shown for the first time that Liberal Speaker Sue Hickey is willing to act on her oft-made warnings to vote against the government on legislation.

Speaker Sue Hickey standing with her chief of staff Mervin Reed after voting against the Government for the first time. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

THE Hodgman Government is not — yet — a minority one. But yesterday’s day of high political drama has shown for the first time that Liberal Speaker Sue Hickey is willing to act on her oft-made warnings to vote against the government on legislation. And that is a significant moment with potentially far-reaching ramifications for this administration.

Since she dramatically accepted the nomination as Speaker from Labor and the Greens after being overlooked for a ministry, Ms Hickey has repeatedly warned she was prepared to use her casting vote against her own Liberal Party where she saw fit.

But until yesterday, she had kept her powder dry — preferring instead to use the threat of her power to win concessions from the Government on matters including more funding for public surgeries for women.

HICKEY MAKES A STAND ON GENDER LAWS

She has meanwhile remained a “proud” member of the Liberal Party (despite not attending party room meetings, a decision she says is based on advice that she should not do so while Speaker). She has also provided the Government with a guarantee of supply and confidence — and until she withdraws that pledge this is not a minority administration, despite what the Opposition will no doubt claim today.

However, what yesterday’s events demonstrate is that Ms Hickey is her own woman who is determined to use the time she has as an MP to act in line with her conscience on matters that she holds dear.

Privately, the former Hobart lord mayor believes passionately in the old-fashioned view that MPs are elected to Parliament to have a voice and to represent the people who voted for them. She believes that, at its best, our Parliament is bold and brave on matters of substance that affect the lives of real people. And so while there was an element of a power play in yesterday’s moves, it really was more about Ms Hickey acting on her conscience.

What will be the fallout? Well, the first impact will be the anger that Liberal Party loyalists already feel towards Ms Hickey will only be heightened. But that anger is meaningless when it comes to the brutal reality that the Government relies on her support to stay in office. Ms Hickey is also, of course, no shrinking violet. She is a strong and successful businesswoman who has most recently spent time in the political hotbed of the Hobart City Council. A few raised voices and threats here and there are not going to worry her.

And so the likely result will only be to increase Ms Hickey’s individual power over the Government’s agenda. She was already winning concessions due to her mere threat of voting against the Government. Now that she has shown she is actually prepared to do so, her influence will only grow.

However, while acknowledging the right of any MP from any party to cross the floor on matters they believe in and that they think run counter to those they represent, the Mercury would urge caution. As we often warned during the state election campaign, the last thing Tasmania needs right now is uncertainty.

This was a duly elected Government, one that won a majority even on primary votes. It deserves the chance to deliver on the agenda those who voted Liberal supported. Ms Hickey would do well to remember that includes those who cast their ballot for her.