Happier Speaker Sue Hickey still won’t toe the Liberal Party line

The usually outspoken Speaker of the House of Assembly, who has been out of the limelight since Tasmania entered into a state of emergency earlier this year, says while she is now calmer she is not about to start toeing the Liberal Party line.

THE coronavirus crisis and Tasmania’s change of leadership has left her calmer and somewhat appeased, but Liberal MP Sue Hickey says she is not about to start toeing the party line.

The usually outspoken Speaker of the House of Assembly, who has been labelled a troublemaker and even a traitor for her willingness to criticise the government, has been out of the limelight since Tasmania entered into a state of emergency earlier this year in response to COVID-19.

Speaker Sue Hickey at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

“People would look at these four months I’ve been quiet and think it’s the taming of the shrew,” Ms Hickey said.

“I made a vow that I would not cause any ruckus because the health message was so imperative and I couldn’t distract from that.”

Ms Hickey, who previously threatened to leave the Liberals after being overlooked for a ministry and famously went against government wishes by becoming Speaker, described her relationship with the party as like a marriage on the rocks.

“We got off to a bad start, but, like a bad marriage, it’s not over yet, we’re working on it,” she said.

SPEAKER SUE HICKEY READY FOR HAIR-RAISING EVENT

Ms Hickey no longer has the same hold over the government, after conservative Labor-turned-independent Madeleine Ogilvie re-entered parliament late last year.

But she said the COVID period had also allowed her to develop a constructive collegiality with Premier Peter Gutwein, in stark contrast to her troubled relationship with former premier Will Hodgman.

“My COVID experience has been very positive, I have an improved relationship with the government and I’m actually proud of some of their achievements,” Ms Hickey said.

“We’ve all learnt to live with each other.”

She said she had been impressed by Mr Gutwein’s “strong leadership” during the coronavirus crisis” and his willingness to engage on her pet project of housing for vulnerable Tasmanians.

Premier Peter Gutwein. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“The Premier came out with me on a quiet trip and we looked at four different housing estates so he could see for himself and talk with some of these people. I was very grateful for that,” Ms Hickey said.

However, she had no plans to start toeing the party line on policies she did not agree with, including mandatory sentencing, and admitted she would always have haters within the Liberal party.

Ms Hickey said she had accepted she was unlikely to ever secure a spot in Cabinet (“That boat has sailed I think,” she said) and was content using her current position to agitate for “common sense” outcomes for Tasmanians.

“I’ve come to a line where I will use my skills as best I can influencing policy from behind,” she said.

Whether she would contest the 2022 election for the Liberals was a decision for the party, she said.

“Lots of people are asking me that. It will come down to the Liberal Party, whether they want to re-endorse me,” Ms Hickey said.