Tasmania is governed according to the principles of the Westminster System, a form of parliamentary responsible government based on the model of the United Kingdom. Legislative power rests with the bicameral Parliament of Tasmania, which consists of the governor of Tasmania, and the two chambers: the Legislative Council and the House of Assembly. Executive power rests formally with the Executive Council, which consists of the governor and senior ministers, and informally called the Cabinet. In practice, executive power is exercised by the premier of Tasmania upon the advice of the Cabinet, who are appointed by the governor, but who hold office by virtue of their ability to command the support of a majority of members of the House of Assembly. Judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court of Tasmania and a system of subordinate courts. As with all states, Tasmania ceded judicial supremacy upon federation, giving the federal High Court of Australia, the final court of appeal and highest court in Australia, the authority to overrule the state judiciary.
Current Ministry
The current ministry of Tasmania is the Gutwein Ministry, formed on 20 January 2020 and comprising eight Liberal members, all of whom sit in the House of Assembly:
The Tasmanian Government delivers services, determines policy, and issues regulations through a number of agencies grouped under areas of portfolio responsibility. Each portfolio is led by a Secretary, who reports to one or more government ministers, a member of Parliament. there are eight government departments:
A range of other agencies support the functions of these departments.
State-owned businesses
The Government of Tasmania also owns and operates a number of state-owned companies:
Aurora Energy: electricity and gas retailer.
Forestry Tasmania: the manager of public forests and plantations for logging, sawmilling and woodchipping.
Hydro Tasmania: a large generator of electricity, management of hydroelectric schemes. Also owns a mainland Australian energy retailer, Momentum Energy.
Irrigation Tasmania: tasked with the planning, construction and maintenance of the Tasmanian Irrigation Schemes culminating pipes, dams and pumping stations.
As a state of Australia, Tasmania is represented in the federal House of Representatives and Senate. Tasmania has five representative in the federal House of Representatives for the electoral divisions of Bass, Braddon, Denison, Franklin, and Lyons. Tasmania also has twelve Senators in line with other states.
Local government in Tasmania
29 local government elections are conducted under the Local Government Act using the Hare-Clark voting system of multi-member proportional representation. Elections for mayor, deputy mayor and half the councillor positions are held during September and October in each uneven numbered year. These include six cities and twenty-three municipalities. The largest council is the City of Launceston and the smallest council is the Municipality of Flinders
