Libs can stay on top if we keep caring about quiet Tasmanians
THIS weekend, more than 220 members of the Tasmanian Liberal Party will descend on Devonport for our annual State Council.
With the party having won great victories in Bass and Braddon in this year’s federal election, it will be a great opportunity to celebrate northern Tasmania having turned blue again.
The weekend also offers the opportunity for Liberal Party members to debate policy ideas and interact directly with our elected members of parliament.
After seven years leading state Libs,
Geoff Page reflects on success and the party’s future
The Liberal Party is truly a grassroots organisation, the members who attend this weekend as delegates have been elected by their local Liberal Party branch and bring with them their own ideas and suggestions.
Regardless of whether they come from the North West Primary Industries Branch, Break-O-Day, Southern Young Liberals, Huonville Branch or anywhere in between, they each have an equal opportunity to participate in debate and vote on motions and leadership positions in the party in Tasmania.
Unlike the Labor Party, there are no large factions or blocks of votes controlled by unions, and each motion that is debated will be debated and voted for on its merits, not on the basis of pre-arranged factional deals.
Also unlike Labor, it’s important to note that motions passed are not binding on either the state or federal Liberal Party; in the Liberal Party we believe that ultimately our members of parliament should be able to choose their policy direction, not have it dictated to them.
But importantly the debate of motions, and the level of support they receive, does let our elected members know very clearly what the view of grassroots members is, which is very important for our democracy.
After seven years as president, I have decided that this State Council will be my last as party president.
With the next state and federal elections due in 2022, and with my increasing work and family commitments, I feel the time is right for me to transition out of the job.
When I first took the job as president in 2012, the Liberal Party was in opposition in both Tasmania and federally, and it is a source of great pride to me that over my tenure we regained and retained government both in Tasmania and federally.
The May federal election, where we regained Bass and Braddon against all odds and predictions was particularly satisfying, as those seats delivered Prime Minister Scott Morrison his majority.
But I know that even as president I was just one small part in a larger team effort over that period, and that without the tireless work of Premier Will Hodgman, state
director Sam McQuestin, my State Executive colleagues, our campaign teams and candidates, and most importantly our grassroots members, nothing would have been achieved.
A big part of running any political party is raising money, and I’d also like to thank the honorary Treasurer Rod Scurrah for his fantastic efforts over that time. Rod is now putting his hand up to be president and he has my full support in doing so.
For my part, I hope to be able to still contribute for a little while longer by using my experience and contacts to take on the position of honorary treasurer, should members so choose.
As I reflect on my seven years as president I also see a very bright future ahead for the Liberal Party.
Unlike our opponents we have kept our eye on the ball and listened to what is important to everyday Tasmanians, rather than being caught up in the Salamanca and Canberra bubbles.
The “quiet Australians” that Prime Minister Morrison talks about are also “quiet Tasmanians” who just want to get on with living their lives, with the Government providing good public services such as health and education, and the opportunity for them to get a job and get ahead for their family.
They don’t want to be lectured to about what they can and can’t say, what they should think and how they should live their lives.
In Prime Minister Morrison and Premier Hodgman we have two leaders who understand this as well as anyone. I remember that just before the 2014 state election I boldly and publicly declared that the Liberal Party would win 15 seats. Most laughed, but I was correct!
Although 2022 is still a long way away, I predict that as long as the Liberal Party stays disciplined and focused on the people not the Twitterverse, that both Prime Minister Morrison and Premier Hodgman will be re-elected.