Rob Valentine is the Independent Member for Hobart in the Tasmanian Legislative Council;
first elected in May 2012 for a 6-year term then subsequently re-elected in May 2018.
Rob sincerely thanks the people of Hobart for returning him to the Legislative Council for a second 6-year term.
You can read Rob’s inaugural speech, on the Noting of Budget Papers 2012-2013, delivered in the chamber on Thursday 23rd May 2012 here
Welcome
Thank you for visiting the website, it is appreciated. Hopefully you will find it straightforward to understand and use and be able to easily find what you need.
In case you are not aware, it is Rob’s intention not to stand again at the forthcoming election for the Seat of Hobart in the Legislative Council on 4th May 2024. Rob’s retirement will mark the end of a 32-year career in Local and State Government as an elected member. Rob thanks you for your interest and any input you may have provided on the many and varied issues that have arisen over this time.
“In my current role in the Legislative Council, it is one thing to scrutinise the draft legislation and the operations of Government, but it would be very difficult to undertake such a task without community input. The feedback over the years across many issues of significance has been tremendously helpful in arriving at a final position on all manner of things, whether legislation or inquiry related. So, a big THANK YOU to those who have provided such valuable feedback.”
Committees
During his almost 12 years in Parliament Rob has been very busy and engaged, serving on a number of Standing and Sessional Committees at various times, such as Estimates and Government Business Scrutiny, Subordinate Legislation, Public Works and Integrity committees.
Committees of Inquiry have also been a focus of Rob’s activity in Parliament. Over the years he has participated in many, variously as a member, Deputy Chair or Chair. They have covered issues as broad-ranging as acute health services, built heritage tourism, greater Hobart traffic congestion, finfish farming, short stay accommodation, water & sewerage, preventative health, education, the racing industry, the Tasmanian Electoral Commission, aboriginal lands, forestry, child + family centres and integrated transport matters.
Rob is currently serving on the Adult Imprisonment + Youth Detention Inquiry, together with chairing an inquiry into the Provisions of the University of Tasmania Act 1992. He is also a member of a committee scrutinising Government responses to recommendations arising from the Commission of Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings and is currently Chair of both the Public Works and Integrity Standing Committees.
Legislation
Rob has dealt with significantly contentious legislation on matters such as anti-discrimination, review of the Education Act, reproductive health, same-sex marriage, surrogacy, water & sewerage corporation matters and the seemingly endless issue of forestry, nevertheless a very important area to address.
Other Bills to prompt significant community feedback and concern include legislation dealing with cable car project facilitation on kunanyi/Mt Wellington, expansion of the taxi and hire car industry through the introduction of Uber-style operations, mandatory sentencing in its various forms, future gaming markets, wage-freezing, workplace protection and strategic infrastructure (rail corridors).
Rob has found his role as the Independent Member for Hobart exciting and certainly challenging but not always pleasant, as with most jobs – especially given some of the issues that have caused significant community division in the lead-up to debates.
“We may not always appreciate the way certain members of the community put their point of view forward, but it is a democracy. They are passionate and it is the role of Parliamentary members to listen to and consider the concerns raised”.
The Role of the Legislative Council and ‘Mandates‘
The issue of ‘mandate’ often raises its head during election periods and the past Lower House election was no different. Rob has a firm view on this often contentious subject.
“While it is the Government’s duty to develop policy in the House of Assembly, according to its wishes and stated objectives in the lead-up to a state election, it is for the Upper House to look for those unintended consequences and to apply fairness and consistency tests to such legislation before it becomes law. A Government claiming to have a mandate to pursue a certain policy or course of action is, in some way, trying to nullify the responsibility of the Legislative Council (or ‘House of Review’ as it is often called), by virtually suggesting it is the people’s wish and the legislation shouldn’t be tampered with. No matter how convinced the Government of the day may be that their desire is the desire of the people, no legislation should escape proper scrutiny. In my opinion, the only mandate the Government of the day has is to have a policy placed on the agenda and due process should then occur, negotiating the path of resulting legislation through both houses”.
That said, Rob believes, the role of the Upper House is not fully understood within the community and there is room for some degree of public debate on the role.
“The Upper House is not always appreciated and is sometimes seen as a block to the wishes of the Government of the day. I believe, in reality, so long as it maintains its focus as a House of Review, it is a moderating influence and provides a check and balance to the implementation of the desires of Government.
It is my firm view the Upper House would not be performing its proper duty of scrutiny if it simply behaved as a rubber stamp to the wishes of Government, effectively becoming a unicameral entity rather than the bicameral Parliament we are mandated to uphold in the Constitution Act of Tasmania 1934. Should the Upper House become a rubber stamp then it would be time to seek structural change, for its overarching purpose is not to set policy as such, but to review legislation created by the government of the day in pursuit of policies it has outlined to the people of Tasmania during the preceding electoral period”.
Rob says it is worth noting that both conservative and radical thinkers have variously praised and condemned the Upper House for its actions.
“The Upper House is truly reflective of the Tasmanian populace and such concurrent praise and condemnation is evidence that it is performing its duty. As to how well that duty is being performed of course will always be in the eye of the beholder and will play out at election time.”
Learn about the history and function of the Legislative Council here
Learn about Parliament of Tasmania Committees here
Learn what is happening in the Legislative Council today
Rob’s door at Parliament House and, more conveniently for all, his email Inbox – rob.valentine@parliament.tas.gov.au – is always open to constituents who wish to pass comment on any legislation before the Legislative Council – he is a good listener!
This website authorised by Rob Valentine 315 Park Street New Town TAS 7008