The Result Last Time

Local government elections are always contentious contests that set the scene for a series of 'quick fire debates' around the decision making table. 

Typically, whoever frames the question wins the debate. Whereas, 'deliberation' – longer and careful consideration of a matter – typically leads to more amenable and acceptable outcomes. 

There is that underlying 'wisdom' that says that debate aims to determine who is right whereas 'deliberation' aims to discover what is right. 

Albeit, almost a folly to contemplate deliberative decision making in local governance in Launceston/Tasmania it is nonetheless a worthy objective. 

Compounding the problem is the fact that local government elections in Tasmania turn out to be more a gamble than an exercise determining a truly representative cohort of decision makers. 

Some numbers worth considering according to the outcome of the last election for the City of Launceston: [LINK]

• There were 47,309 Launcestonians eligible to vote and 24,646 elected to vote;

• A quota for elected representatives FIRST PREFERENCE votes was (PROGRESSIVE) 1,745

• Only 3 of the 'elected 12' achieved more than 1,000 FIRST PREFERENCE votes ; and
• 6  of the 'elected 12' achieved less that 1,000 FIRST PREFERENCE votes. see below

Learn to pron

long and careful consideration or discussion.

BLAKE, Ann 226 1.00% ......... BOWEN, Mathew 332 1.46% BRADY, Thane 732 3.23% ......... COOPER, Leon 72 0.32%......... COX, Jim 491 2.16%......... DAKING, Nick 1,076 4.74% ......... DAWKINS, Andrea 1,076 4.74% ......... FINLAY, Janie 3,487 15.37%......... FITCH, Basil 537 2.37%......... GIBSON, Danny 1,042 4.59% ......... GROAT, Daniel 64 0.28%......... HARRIS, Alan 639 2.82%  .........  LIMB, Ryan 601 2.65%......... McKENDRICK, Robin 543 2.39%......... McKENZIE, Hugh 764 3.37% ......... MADDEN, Gary 53 0.23%......... POTTER, Bruce 504 2.22% ......... PREECE, Krista 276 1.22% ......... ROE, Brian 237 1.04% ......... SALT, Bob 463 2.04% ......... SANDS, Ted 312 1.38%......... SHERRIN, Joshua 105 0.46% ......... SOWARD, Rob 481 2.12%......... SPENCER, Paul 786 3.47% ......... SPRINGER, Damien 143 0.63%......... STOJANSEK, Karina 361 1.59% ......... SWEENEY, Tegan 350 1.54% ......... TAPSELL, Mark 403 1.78% ......... VAN ZETTEN, Albert 5,034 22.19% ......... WALKER, Tim 622 2.74% ......... WILLIAMS, Emma 429 1.89% ......... WOOD, Simon 440 1.94% ......... Total formal votes 22,681 ......... Informal ballot papers 1,965 7.97%......... Total ballot papers counted 24,646 ......... Quota (progressive) 1,745