Tasmania’s newest political party. Local Party - ready to make waves

A new Tasmanian political party will launch today in a bid to give locals a bigger voice in Canberra - all from the comfort of a pub near Hobart. 

A NEW Tasmanian political party will launch today in a bid to give locals a bigger voice in Canberra - and they’re doing it from a pub near Hobart. 

Fern Tree Tavern will be the headquarters of The Local Party, which is being spearheaded by former Jacqui Lambie staffer Anna Bateman and Leanne Minshull, from The Australia Institute think tank, and fisherman Craig Garland, a high-profile independent at the 2019 election.

True to its name, the group plans to put locals at the heart of the party by holding citizens assemblies across Tasmania to develop their policy.

Members of Tasmania's newest political party, The Local Part, Leanne Minshull and Anna Bateman with Leanne's dog Edith, 5 out the front of the Fern Tree Tavern which they are using as their party HQ. Picture: Zak Simmonds

They plan to fight on hyper-local issues, from concerns over proposals for wind turbines on Robbins Island to the scale of commercial salmon farming, and global issues such as climate change. 

“I think right now the discontent and disillusionment with the major parties is just polarising everybody from every walk of life,” Mr Garland said.

The father-of-three said he joined the party to provide an alternative voice for Tasmanians in politics, but with a stronger chance of claiming a seat than as a single independent. 

“My whole aim is to get the community back into the decision-making process,” he said, adding he held concerns over political corruption, environmental management and social issues in Tasmania.

The Local Party is the brainchild of Ms Minshull, who has been considering for a year how to create a party that would rely more heavily on community voices and wouldn’t face pitfalls like being reliant on political donors. 

Members of Tasmania's newest political party, The Local Part, Leanne Minshull and Anna Bateman inside The Fern Tree Tavern which they are using as their party HQ. Picture: Zak Simmonds

The party’s rules outlined in its constitution state that it will hold citizen assemblies of 12 people or more across Tasmania which will “then guide the policy of the party on that issue”.

The party will also fight for expenditure caps on all state and federal elections and until then will only  accept donations “from individuals and businesses aligned with the objectives ofthe party”. 

Courage, action, kindness, empathy and respect are listed as the party’s core principles. 

Ms Bateman said Canberra’s adversarial politics often held back progress on crucial issues, so the Local Party intended to take a different approach. 

Ms Minshull said she would push for a “more mature level of discussion, where the community are actually in partnership over the decisions that are made for them.”

Members of Tasmania's newest political party, The Local Part, Leanne Minshull and Anna Bateman out the front of The Fern Tree Tavern which they are using as their party HQ. Picture: Zak Simmonds

The party intends to register at a state level shortly, and then at a federal level, before unveiling a Senate ticket of candidates for the next election in July.