Over two centuries, the Legislative Council has played a vital role in shaping Tasmania’s democracy. This bicentenary offers an opportunity to reflect on the Council’s rich and complex history and the generations of Tasmanians who have contributed to its work, while also looking to the future, recognising the Council’s purpose in representing Tasmania’s diverse communities, rigorously reviewing and scrutinising legislation, and upholding accountability and oversight—guided by enduring principles of integrity and independence in service to the people.
Explore material relating to our Bicentenary via the links below, including colourful stories from our past, and useful related resources.
Glossary of Useful Terms
Parliaments have developed their own terminology, reflecting the long history and specialist practices of these institutions. A glossary has been developed to help everyone to understand some of the unusual or unfamiliar words used in the Parliament of Tasmania.
Timeline of the Legislative Council
Early records
The records of the Parliament prove a unique insight into Tasmanian history. The material linked below from the early days of the Legislative Council shows what issues members of the public were concerned about and petitioning for change on, what topics were being debated and how the nascent Parliament related to Britain and to the people of Tasmania.
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, Canberra.
Australian Heritage Council, National Heritage assessment: Sullivans Cove and Precinct, Australian Government Department of the Environment, Canberra, 2014.
E Baker, ‘Major parties set to dominate Tasmanian Legislative Council as elections usher in Labor, Liberal members’, ABC news, 3 August 2020.
S Bennett, The reduction in the size of the Tasmanian Parliament, Research note, No. 2, 1998-99, Department of the Parliamentary Library, Canberra, 1998.
S Bennett and B Bennett, Biographical register of the Tasmanian Parliament, 1825–1980, House of Assembly, Parliament of Tasmania, Hobart, 2016.
Constitution Act 1946 (Tas.)
P Bennison, Parliament of Tasmania: A brief historical overview, Printing Authority of Tasmania for the Parliament of Tasmania, Hobart, 2006.
K Febey (State Chief Electoral Officer), Report on Parliamentary elections [1965-1969], Parliamentary paper no. 3, 1970.
A Heywood, ‘McIntyre, Margaret Edgeworth’ in The Australian Women’s Register, last updated 13 March 2019.
Joint Select Committee on Working Arrangements of the Parliament, Report no. 18: Attendance of Ministers who are Members of the Legislative Council at House of Assembly Question Time, Parliament of Tasmania, Hobart, 2009.
Legislative Council of Tasmania, Twenty-Second Annual Report to 30 June 2011, Parliament of Tasmania, Hobart, 2011.
Legislative Council of Van Diemen’s Land, Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Council during the session of the year 1854, James Barnard, Government Printer, Hobart Town, 1844 [microform, via State Library and Archives Tasmania].
Museum of Australian Democracy and National Archives of Australia, ‘Tasmania documents’, Documenting a Democracy website [archived], 2011.
T Newman, Becoming Tasmania: Renaming Van Diemen’s Land, Parliament of Tasmania, Hobart, 2005.
T Newman, Representation of the Tasmanian people: Expanded edition, 1803–1994, Tasmanian Parliamentary Library, Hobart, 1994.
T Newman, ‘Tasmania and the secret ballot’, Australian Journal of Politics and History, 49, 1, March 2003, pp. 93-101.
M Paine, ‘Aboriginal MP claim lashed’, The Mercury, 21 June 2001.
Parliament of Tasmania, ‘Brief tour of the Legislative Council’, Parliament of Tasmania website.
Parliament of Tasmania, ‘Female franchise’, Parliament of Tasmania website.
Parliament of Tasmania, ‘Hansard’, Parliament of Tasmania website.
Parliament of Tasmania, ‘Legislative Council chamber’, Parliament of Tasmania website.
Parliament of Tasmania, Legislative Council: Manuscript Votes and Proceedings 12-04-1826 – 7-09-1839, Parliament of Tasmania, Hobart.
Parliament of Tasmania, ‘Members of Parliament from 1856’, Parliament of Tasmania website.
Parliament of Tasmania, ‘Members of the Legislative Council of Van Diemen’s Land 1825-1856’, Parliament of Tasmania website.
Parliament of Tasmania, ‘Parliamentary Debates: Reprints from The Mercury’, Tasmanian Parliamentary Library, Hobart.
Parliament of Tasmania, Powers of the Legislative Council in regard to money Bills: Case for the opinion of the Privy Council, Parliamentary paper no. 42, 1899.
Parliament of Tasmania, ‘Tasmanian Parliamentary History FAQ’, Parliament of Tasmania website.
Parliament of Tasmania, ‘Tasmanian Parliamentary Papers’, Parliament of Tasmania website.
Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC), Electoral expenditure policy for Legislative Council elections, TEC, Hobart, 21 March 2025.
Tasmanian Electoral Commission, ‘Electoral redistribution’, TEC website.
Tasmanian Electoral Commission, ‘Legislative Council elections summary 2018–present’, TEC website.
Tasmanian Government, ‘Historical notes: Administration and law’, Tasmanian Legislation website, last updated 12 February 2023.
L Thorp, ‘Upper House Reform: Making the most of the Tasmanian Legislative Council’, The Parliamentarian, 1, 2008, pp. 14-17.
The Governor of Tasmania, ‘Bicentenary of the Executive Council’, Governor of Tasmania website, 3 December 2025.
The Supreme Court of Tasmania, ‘Supreme Court Bicentenary events – May 2024’, Supreme Court website.
C Vickers, The Legislative Council of Tasmania: An outline of its history and its proceedings, Parliament of Tasmania, Hobart, 2023.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools were used in the development of the timeline for the Bicentenary of the Legislative Council. They were used to summarise documents and assist with plain language content. All output was thoroughly reviewed and checked before publication.
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