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Tasmanian Premier, Will Hodgman announced he was leaving Parliament today:
www.premier.tas.gov.au
This has come 'out of the blue', but he says mainly to spend more time with family. The fact that he's been in Parliament for the entire life of his children I think gives a bit of credence to that. None of the local press coverage here is suggesting otherwise.
Hodgman is part of a political dynasty in Tasmania, going back, I think 3 generations. He became leader of the opposition in about 2004 and Premier in 2014. In the 2018 election, where we have 5 member electorates, and to get elected you have to get a 'quota' of votes - he got almost 3 quotas. He got the Libs into power twice with majority government - very difficult in Tasmania where the Greens are so strong. He's immensely popular personally.
People will differ with political views of course, but there's no doubt that as Premier he's lifted the state from being a basket case economically - ALWAYS the worst performing, to one of the best performing in the past couple of years. Tas now has net population growth, whereas for decades we've been losing people. This has brought problems, though - the housing market is the tightest in Australia, with much rental accommodation going over to tourism. Hospitals are crammed (but I'm pretty sure we are not alone in that) - we have a problem in that they can't attract (permanent) doctors here because the incomes are lower than on the mainland.
Hodgman also brought in (I think) great education policies - he reversed the trend to close small rural schools and, best of all, began offering to fund years 11 and 12 education at regional and country high schools. Tas up to now has had a 'city-college model. To do years 11 and 12 the kids outside the cities, had to leave home or have long bus rides to do 11 and 12. of course most didn't. We had the worst education outcomes in the country, which I think was recognised to feed into some of the worst health outcomes.
Anyway, not designed to be a hagiography - but this was a Premier who came in and has made a big difference to the overall welfare of the state. Now to solve the problems that a boom creates! As someone said on the radio - you will have unemployment and poverty whether the economy is going backwards or forwards - better to tackle it when going forwards!
Two front-runners for Premier - the deputy Premier, Rockcliffe (Education Minister) and Treasurer Gutwin. I hope Rockcliffe gets it - Gutwin I think is a bit of a numpty and has suffered from being a tight-purse string Treasurer with a tin ear as to when to loosen those purse strings.
Premier's Resignation Speech
This has come 'out of the blue', but he says mainly to spend more time with family. The fact that he's been in Parliament for the entire life of his children I think gives a bit of credence to that. None of the local press coverage here is suggesting otherwise.
Hodgman is part of a political dynasty in Tasmania, going back, I think 3 generations. He became leader of the opposition in about 2004 and Premier in 2014. In the 2018 election, where we have 5 member electorates, and to get elected you have to get a 'quota' of votes - he got almost 3 quotas. He got the Libs into power twice with majority government - very difficult in Tasmania where the Greens are so strong. He's immensely popular personally.
People will differ with political views of course, but there's no doubt that as Premier he's lifted the state from being a basket case economically - ALWAYS the worst performing, to one of the best performing in the past couple of years. Tas now has net population growth, whereas for decades we've been losing people. This has brought problems, though - the housing market is the tightest in Australia, with much rental accommodation going over to tourism. Hospitals are crammed (but I'm pretty sure we are not alone in that) - we have a problem in that they can't attract (permanent) doctors here because the incomes are lower than on the mainland.
Hodgman also brought in (I think) great education policies - he reversed the trend to close small rural schools and, best of all, began offering to fund years 11 and 12 education at regional and country high schools. Tas up to now has had a 'city-college model. To do years 11 and 12 the kids outside the cities, had to leave home or have long bus rides to do 11 and 12. of course most didn't. We had the worst education outcomes in the country, which I think was recognised to feed into some of the worst health outcomes.
Anyway, not designed to be a hagiography - but this was a Premier who came in and has made a big difference to the overall welfare of the state. Now to solve the problems that a boom creates! As someone said on the radio - you will have unemployment and poverty whether the economy is going backwards or forwards - better to tackle it when going forwards!
Two front-runners for Premier - the deputy Premier, Rockcliffe (Education Minister) and Treasurer Gutwin. I hope Rockcliffe gets it - Gutwin I think is a bit of a numpty and has suffered from being a tight-purse string Treasurer with a tin ear as to when to loosen those purse strings.
