Australians aren’t afraid of power-sharing parliaments

featuring Leanne Minshull, Eloise Carr and Ebony Bennett
Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff speaks to media at the Royal Hobart Hospital in Hobart, Tasmania, on Wednesday, June 11th, 2025. Tasmania is in a state of political limbo, with the governor mulling a request by Liberal minority Premier Jeremy Rockliff who lost a no-confidence vote in parliament last week
AAP Image/Ethan James

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Tasmanians have returned another power-sharing parliament – it’s now up to the major parties to make it work.

Australians have elected power-sharing parliaments in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania – and a single party almost never has a majority in the federal Senate. On this episode of Follow the Money, Leanne Minshull and Eloise Carr join Ebony Bennett to discuss why collaborative parliaments are popular and how our elected officials can make them work.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available for pre-order now via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Leanne Minshull, Strategy Director, the Australia Institute // @leanneminshull

Guest: Eloise Carr, Director, the Australia Institute Tasmania // @eloise-carr

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett

Show notes:

Power & Partnership: What will Tasmania’s next power-sharing parliament look like?, the Australia Institute (July 2025)

GST Reform: How to stop the states being short-changed, the Australia Institute (July 2025)

Polling – Tasmania power-sharing, the Australia Institute (July 2025)

Whether for or against the stadium, Tasmanians overwhelmingly feel dudded by the AFL – poll, the Australia Institute (June 2025)

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

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Parliaments are made to share power

Some people are worried that the next election could lead to a “hung parliament”, requiring power sharing arrangements between parties and independents. But Parliaments always involve power-sharing: between interest groups, communities and political movements; across the upper and lower houses; within parties (via factions); and between parties.