REPORT CARD: Here’s how Tassie’s MPs rated in 2021

The plodders, the true believers, the haters and the failures – Mercury political editor David Killick delivers the low down on every member of the House of Assembly and the 2021 they’ve had.

The plodders, the true believers, the haters and the failures. The Mercury’s political editor David Killick has delivered a form guide for every member of the House of Assembly and the 2021 they’ve had.

Elise Archer

Attorney general Elise Archer. Last question time in the Tasmanian house of reps for 2021. Picture Nikki Davis-Jones

A mixed year for the Attorney-General and Justice Minister. The state’s prison crisis raged unabated but some major law reforms have passed including the new TasCAT. Parliament’s champion feuder can at least take some comfort in having seen the back of her longtime nemesis in Clark Sue Hickey at the May election after more than a decade of bad blood and a term of icy enmity.

Guy Barnett

We should all aspire to find someone who regards us with the passion that Guy Barnett exudes for a Bass Strait power cable or clean green hydrogen energy. A solid, if stolid performer, Mr Barnett enjoys a cult following for his inspired photo opportunities: his most memorable work this year was without doubt an appearance with candidates while fondly fondling fresh fish at Mures.

Shane Broad

Labor’s Shane Broad MP. Picture: Chris Kidd

One of Labor’s underrated talents, Dr Broad showed some spark this year, calling a spade a spade during Labor’s leadership crisis, which is a sure-fire way to win friends in that party. Will play a big role in the party’s renaissance, if the factional warlords can figure out who their real enemies are.

Jen Butler

From feather duster to rooster, Ms Butler shrugged off demotion by David O’Byrne to bounce back into the shadow ministry where she’s doggedly pursued a campaign for better protections for new homebuyers ripped off by dodgy builders. Showing no signs of giving up in the face of government denial and deflection.

Sarah Courtney

Sarah Courtney MP. Picture: Chris Kidd

Moving from health to education has shifted the spotlight from Sarah Courtney a little, but she has shown a flair for representing the government’s position on tough issues and advocating for business in her role as Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events. One the government’s consistent performers.

Anita Dow

One of only two people to hold the Opposition leader’s job twice in 2021, Ms Dow continues in the role of deputy. It is hard to say how much she enjoyed her time silhouetted by the flames of a burning party or whether the highs outnumbered the lows in a tough year to be a Labor leader no matter how briefly the tenure(s).

Felix Ellis

FIRST DAY PARLIAMENT

The former plumber entered parliament with a splash during the last term, but the youthful member for Braddon failed in his bid for re-election this time around. Only the Adam Brooks implosion saw him return on a countback. Surely there must be more in his future than dutifully reading out Dorothy Dixers and wisecracking interjections.

Michael Ferguson

After a bruising few years in the toughest portfolio of health where entrenched problems mask the whiff of underperformance, Mr Ferguson has switched to building stuff: Infrastructure and Transport and State Development, Construction and Housing. Despite the odd win, like a popular ferry service, there’s been a lot of under-delivery. There’s that whiff again.

Janie Finlay

A newcomer to parliament after being elected at the May election, the former Launceston councillor has demonstrated an obvious aptitude as she gets a feel for parliamentary life. A solid media performer who will play a key role in any comeback Labor cares to stage.

Peter Gutwein

Premier Peter Gutwein presser in the Executive Building forecourt. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The Liberal’s top performer, unifier, author of economic comebacks and author of press releases proclaiming himself the author of economic comebacks. Stops the moderates and conservatives from tearing each other apart, spruiks the state on a national stage and is beloved by the voters for his handling of Covid. Whether that love outlasts our borders reopening remains to be seen.

Ella Haddad

Ms Haddad is Labor’s only member in Clark after a series of missteps that will go down in the annals of Labor’s worst tactical blunders. Managed to just stay above the mire when her best friend accused her faction mate David O’Byrne of sexual harassment. Some hits and some misses while trying to hold her counterpart Elise Archer to account.

Roger Jaensch

Tasmanian Climate Change Minister Roger Jaensch with Extinction Rebellion members currently on a hunger strike to highlight urgent climate action needed. Picture: supplied

The archetypal overloaded Minister with six portfolios, Mr Jaensch is the case for an expanded parliament in human force. Another year of honest toil for Mr Jaensch, who maintains a cheerful demeanour despite the obvious strains of the job. At least housing and child protection are someone else’s problems now.

Kristie Johnston

A strong debut season by the former Glenorchy mayor, scoring a historic election win at the expense of her rival Sue Hickey. Solid work on holding the government to account, marred by a misstep calling out Matt Groom on the floor of the house — and subsequently apologising. Her voting record to date reveals a member with a lot in common with the Greens.

David O’Byrne

Labor member David O'Byrne. Last question time in the Tasmanian house of reps for 2021. Picture Nikki Davis-Jones

The last year will be one David O’Byrne will be glad to forget. Snaring the job he’s coveted for so long, he lasted just weeks before falling victim to a long-ago scandal that resurfaced at his moment of triumph. His failure to read the mood of party and public for a demonstration of contrition cost him dearly. Though his future is unclear, the member for Franklin is showing signs of rebuilding his career outside the Labor caucus.

Michelle O’Byrne

Experienced and with a devotion to the Labor movement that burns brightly, Ms O’Byrne must be wondering whether the future is as sunny as the past. Still one of Labor’s top parliamentary performers, the travails of the past 12 months — including the #metoo cancellation of brother David — must surely have the former deputy contemplating three more years of opposition with something less than firey anticipation.

Cassy O’Connor

Greens leader Cassy O'Connor. Last question time in the Tasmanian house of reps for 2021. Picture Nikki Davis-Jones

A deft performer on the floor of the house, a thorn in the Premier’s side, Ms O'Connor has a well-established encampment on Parliament’s high moral ground. Her sharp intellect has given the government the headaches Labor hasn’t been delivering of late. But another flat election result (and that concession speech!) did not reflect her party’s role in keeping the bastards honest.

Madeleine Ogilvie

Scraping past Simon Behrakis to take her seat in Clark, Labor turned independent turned Liberal, may have been chuffed at her political longevity but is canny enough to avoid the trap of showing impatience for whatever plum role might come her way in time. Owner of parliament’s sharpest elbows, handy when jostling for that prime position in the background of other people’s press conferences.

Jacquie Petrusma

Parks and Police, Fire and Emergency Management come with potential pitfalls for any Minister, but Ms Petrusma has managed to avoid being dragged down into controversy as other fish were fried. Performs a sterling, but often overlooked role pursuing better outcomes for the victims of family violence.

Jeremy Rockliff

MERC: Jeremy Rockliff and booster jabs - Liverpool St.

Beloved by all sides of politics, Jeremy Rockliff has risked it all by grasping the poisoned chalice of Tasmanian politics as minister for health. To add to the challenge, doing so during a pandemic that will severely test our ailing hospital system in the days to come. It would be a test of nerves for the steeliest of political operators but he’s holding his own so far.

Mark Shelton

The Liberals can’t pretend not to be glad to see the back of Sue Hickey, who injected some feisty – if unpredictable — independence into the role of speaker. Also, nobody can pretend the new Speaker isn’t giving his team a soft run, with some astonishing interpretations of the standing orders over the course of the new parliament, now met with a weary resignation that there’s no use complaining about the ref.

Nic Street

One of the parliament’s enduring mysteries is why Nic Street isn’t given more to do other than chairing the odd committee meeting. It has been a very slow burn for the member for Franklin, finally elected in his own right in 2021 after entering parliament twice on countbacks. Maybe his new-found security of tenure will bolster his case.

John Tucker

John Tucker. Picture: Richard Jupe

Star Trek has the folk in red uniforms, the House of Assembly has John Tucker. Hard to say if the future holds something more demanding for him than reading out easy questions in a flat monotone so that ministers can drone on at length about their modest achievements. Made the news for stomping through the back of a press conference on child abuse. The big man found his twinkle toes again after apologising.

Rebecca White

Labor leader Rebecca White.

Smart, passionate, dedicated — and let down by her party again and again. Anyone who has watched the year Rebecca White has had would have to wonder how – and why – she keeps going in the face of betrayal, disaster and scandal. There’s not much comfort in delivering a better concession speech the second time around, but a second election loss was followed by a second child, it wasn’t an entirely bad year.

Dean Winter

Preselected only by extraordinary intervention because of longstanding tribal bad blood that exemplifies Labor’s irresistible penchant for acting against its own best interest, Mr Winter topped the poll in Franklin despite strong campaigns in favour of the party’s minor candidates. A polished speaker, he will benefit from growing parliamentary experience to deter him from taking on the riskier missions in Question Time.

Rosalie Woodruff

Rosalie Woodruff. Picture Eddie Safarik

Dr Woodruff is one of the parliament’s sharpest minds and a masterful interjector. Running almost entirely on righteous indignation, the other half of parliament’s Green double act consolidated her position electorally in Franklin even as her party showed no sign of returning members in electorates north of the Derwent.

Follow @DavidJKillick