Three Tasmanian House of Representatives members opt to stay home

An emergency sitting of Federal Parliament this week is set to debate the JobKeeper assistance package, but not all of Tasmania’s representatives will attend.

MOST of Tasmania’s MHRs will skip an emergency sitting in Canberra this week in a bid to avoid unnecessary travel.

About one-third of Lower House members are expected to attend Wednesday’s sitting which has been called to implement the Morrison government’s $130 billion JobKeeper payment.

Although federal politicians are exempt from Tasmania’s strict mandatory 14-day isolation period as they are deemed essential travellers, some have already been voluntarily isolating.

A spokeswoman for Braddon Liberal MP Gavin Pearce said Mr Pearce was not going, as he was due to emerge on Tuesday from 14 days of voluntary self-isolation, which he entered after returning from the last sitting of parliament.

Mr Pearce’s Liberal colleague, Bass MP Bridget Archer, will travel to Canberra, as will Labor MP for Franklin Julie Collins.

Andrew Wilkie will not be attending Wednesday’s emergency sitting of Federal Parliament. Picture: GARY RAMAGE

Independent member for Clark Andrew Wilkie said he did not consider the sitting essential travel given the stimulus package was a done deal.

“The Government and Opposition have reached agreement on the stimulus package so it will be passed with the minimum number of members, which is a quorum of 30. My concerns with gaps in the rescue package have already been conveyed to the Government,” Mr Wilkie said.

“Moreover, the six House crossbenchers have been discussing additional measures such as committees to oversee the Government’s response to COVID-19 and those crossbenchers who are able to attend the sitting will represent all of us.

“We also need to be sensible here and not send 227 members and senators into a building together only to return to virtually every part of Australia and potentially infect our communities.”

Labor Lyons MP Brian Mitchell will be staying home.

“It’s important that parliament continue to meet, which can be achieved by rostering different MPs on for different sittings, to both maintain numeric stability and to ensure we all have the opportunity to undertake our parliamentary duties,” Mr Mitchell said.