Australia
Tasmanian Liberals select new Senate replacements to fill vacancies
A senior adviser to Premier Jeremy Rockliff and a former state minister have been selected to fill upcoming federal Senate vacancies.
The Tasmanian Liberal Party has selected a senior adviser to Premier Jeremy Rockliff to fill an upcoming vacancy in the federal Senate, according to reporting by news wire services. The adviser will replace outgoing Liberal Senator Wendy Askew.
In a second shift for the state's Senate representation, a former Tasmanian state minister has been chosen to replace Senator Jonno Duniam. Senator Duniam is scheduled to finish his term at the end of the year, at which point the former minister will step into the role.
The specific identities of the adviser and the former state minister were not immediately confirmed in the initial wire reports, reflecting a transition process where formal announcements of the individual names are expected to follow.
The shifts represent a significant renewal of the Liberal Party's upper house team in Tasmania. Senator Askew has served in the Senate since 2019, when she was first appointed to fill a casual vacancy, while Senator Duniam has been a member of the Senate since 2016.
The timing of Senator Askew's formal departure and the exact date on which the Premier's adviser will be sworn into the federal parliament remain to be finalised. Under section 15 of the Australian Constitution, casual Senate vacancies are filled by a joint sitting of the relevant state parliament, which must formally endorse the party's chosen nominees.
What remains to be seen is how quickly the Tasmanian Parliament will convene to formally ratify the two new appointments ahead of the next federal sitting week.
This report draws on original reporting by Wire report.
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