Hidding wants Speaker role

VETERAN Liberal Rene Hidding will give up his ministerial portfolios and pursue the role of Speaker in the new State Government.

Today, the Parliamentary Liberal Party will meet for the first time since winning the election earlier this month.

Premier Will Hodgman has already said a Cabinet reshuffle is on the agenda in the wake of the election win and Mr Hidding — Police and Infrastructure Minister for the past four years — has already decided to nominate for the Speaker role.

Mr Hidding would become Speaker at the expense of fellow Lyons member Mark Shelton, who had just nine sitting days in the role after replacing Elise Archer who entered the cabinet. He said he didn’t know whether Mr Shelton would also nominate.

“Mark is a good mate and a fellow Lyons member but he, like everyone else, accepts that this is the one period in a four year-cycle where all jobs are declared vacant,” he said.

If Mr Hidding became Speaker, Bass MHA Sarah Courtney, Braddon MHA Roger Jaensch and Mr Shelton are three likely candidates to pick up a ministry.

Hobart Lord Mayor Sue Hickey is the only new member for the party in State Gov- ernment and has said she would be interested in a portfolio.

Braddon MHA Adam Brooks was forced to return to the backbench after an email scandal and Mr Hodgman has said he will not enter the cabinet until an audit into his emails is sorted.

Deputy Labor Leader Michelle O’Byrne said Mr Hidding was a “failed minister” who had negotiated a secret deal to water down the state’s gun laws.

“It is extremely unlikely that Rene Hidding will see out the four-year term. It’s clear he is on the retirement pathway.