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Tas parliament MP boost won't alter seats

Ethan JamesAAP
Jeremy Rockliff says keeping Tasmania's electorate boundaries is the most cost-effective option. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)
Camera IconJeremy Rockliff says keeping Tasmania's electorate boundaries is the most cost-effective option. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP

Tasmania's electoral boundaries won't be redrawn under a state government plan to increase the size of parliament by 10 members.

Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff in May announced plans to boost the state's House of Assembly from 25 to 35 members, seen widely as a response to politician burnout.

Will Hodgman and Peter Gutwein have stood down from the role of premier in recent years, citing a desire to spend more time with family, while several Liberal MPs have either retired or quit cabinet this year.

The island state currently has five electorates with five members in each.

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Tasmania's Chamber of Commerce and Industry recently called for the number of electorates to be increased to seven to give regional areas better representation.

Mr Rockliff said keeping current electorate boundaries and electing two additional members in each was the simplest and most cost-effective option.

"(This) would involve minimal legislative and administrative changes," he said in a statement.

"By contrast, changing to seven five-member electorates would require significant legislative and administrative changes.

"(As well as) new names for every division and increased expenditure both during the change and at each subsequent election."

Tasmania's lower house was reduced from 35 to 25 members in 1998.

Mr Rockliff plans to table relevant legislation in parliament this year, with the change to be implemented by the next state election which is due by 2025.

The Tasmanian Electoral Commission estimated the five-seat seven-member option would cost an extra $100,000 per election.

A seven-seat five-member option would cost $2.5 million to set up, and $300,000 extra per election.

The state Greens have backed Mr Rockliff's plan to maintain electoral boundaries.

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