Tasmanian legislative election, 1998
Encyclopedia
Elections for the Tasmanian House of Assembly
were held on Saturday 29 August 1998. This was the first election held after the size of the house was reduced from 35 to 25 members. The quota required for election increased from 12.5% to 16.7%.
This election saw the end of 2 years of minority government
, bringing a majority Labor Party into power headed by Jim Bacon
. At the time of the election the Greens held the balance of power, supporting the Liberal Party headed by Tony Rundle
.
The Greens representation was reduced from 4 members to just one member - Peg Putt
- in Denison. Labor retained all their seats despite the reduction in numbers. The Liberals lost six of their seats.
Tasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
were held on Saturday 29 August 1998. This was the first election held after the size of the house was reduced from 35 to 25 members. The quota required for election increased from 12.5% to 16.7%.
This election saw the end of 2 years of minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
, bringing a majority Labor Party into power headed by Jim Bacon
Jim Bacon
James Alexander Bacon, AC was Premier of Tasmania from 1998 to 2004.-Early life:Bacon was born in Melbourne; his father Frank, a doctor, died when Jim was twelve, leaving him to be raised by his mother Joan. He was educated at Scotch College and later at Monash University, but he did not graduate....
. At the time of the election the Greens held the balance of power, supporting the Liberal Party headed by Tony Rundle
Tony Rundle
Anthony Maxwell Rundle AO was the Premier of the Australian State of Tasmania from 18 March 1996 to 14 September 1998. He succeeded Ray Groom and was succeeded himself by Jim Bacon. He is a Liberal who held the seat of Braddon between 1986 and 2002. A former journalist, he is married to...
.
The Greens representation was reduced from 4 members to just one member - Peg Putt
Peg Putt
Margaret Ann Putt is a former Australian politician and parliamentary leader of the Tasmanian Greens. She first entered the Tasmanian House of Assembly in 1993 after Bob Brown resigned and votes in the Hobart electorate of Denison were recounted...
- in Denison. Labor retained all their seats despite the reduction in numbers. The Liberals lost six of their seats.
Results
|}See also
- Candidates of the Tasmanian state election, 1998Candidates of the Tasmanian state election, 1998This article provides information on candidates who stood for the 1998 Tasmanian state election, held on 29 August 1998.-Labor:*John White -Liberal:*John Beswick *John Cleary *Ron Cornish -House of Assembly:...
- Members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, 1998-2002Members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, 1998-2002This is a list of members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, elected at the 1998 state election:...