The People’s Republic of Clark

At the end of this essay is posted two rotations from three divisions at the March 2024 Tasmanian House of Assembly general election. The number of rotations was 84 in Bass, 168 in Braddon, 168 in Clark, 84 in Franklin and 210 in Lyons.

The rotations I have chosen to show for Bass are 13 and 74. See the top right-hand corner above “official use only”. The successful candidates were Michael Ferguson, Rob Fairs and Simon Wood from the Liberal Party, Michelle O’Byrne and Janie Finlay for Labor, Cecily Rosol from the Greens and Rebeka Pentland from the Jacquie Lambie Network. As to why I have chosen Bass the explanation is that the March 2018 and May 2021 Bass ballot papers were published in “The People’s Republic of Kurrajong”.

For Braddon I have chosen to show rotations 88 and 165. Again, see the top right-hand corner above “official use only”. The successful candidates were Jeremy Rockliff, Felix Ellis and Roger Jaensch from the Liberal Party, Anita Dow and Shane Broad for Labor and Miriam Beswick from the Jacquie Lambie Network. The last position was filled by the independent Craig Garland. The Liberal Party expected to win four seats in Braddon with Giovanna Simpson as their fourth member elected, but it was not to be. Garland’s election spoiled their party. As to why I have chosen Braddon the explanation is that Braddon was the division in which the Premier was elected. It was also where the Liberal Party suffered its greatest disappointment.

For Clark I have shown the first rotation and rotation 50. Again, see the top right-hand corner above “official use only”. The successful candidates from parties were Madeleine Ogilvie and Simon Behrakis from the Liberal Party, Ella Haddad and Josh Willie for Labor and Vica Bayley and Helen Burnet from the Greens. The independent Kristie Johnston was also elected. The Liberal Party engaged in wishful thinking by expecting to win three seats with Marcus Vermey to be their third member elected. It was not to be. The Greens enjoyed the night by getting two members elected, thus preventing the Liberal Party from having Vermey elected.

This essay is titled “The People’s Republic of Clark” following my essay “The People’s Republic of Kurrajong”. Clark in Tasmania joined Kurrajong in the ACT in allowing the Greens to have two members – and spoiling the Liberal Party’s celebrations in the process. They are the only two cases of the Greens winning two seats where low district magnitude applies. By “low district magnitude” I mean the election of seven or fewer members in total from an electoral division.

As explained above in my essay “The People’s Republic of Kurrajong” the ACT Greens were greatly dissapointed in October 2024 when Rebecca Vassarotti lost her seat to the independent Thomas Emerson. However, the title “The People’s Republic of Kurrajong” continues. It is justified by the fact that Elizabeth Lee is the only Liberal in Kurrajong, where all other Hare-Clark divisions have two or three Liberals elected.

Malcolm Mackerras

18 December 2024