Government Business (Sale Reforms) Bill 2025 (No. 42)

Thursday 25 September 2025

[3.22 p.m.]

Ms ARMITAGE (Launceston) - Mr President, I thank the honourable Leader for bringing forward this very interesting bill.

Government businesses are not just important to our economy and the running of our state, but they're also important to Tasmanians. They are major employers and, in many circumstances, express our state's brand. It's therefore important that we make sure they're well managed, well resourced and that we ensure they have reputations as good employers and businesses.

This bill seeks to require the approval of at least two‑thirds of parliament to sell a Tasmanian government business enterprise or state‑owned company. As the honourable Leader mentioned, the bill seeks to implement strengthened provisions in relation to the sale of shares of each company. For companies where a limitation on share ownership already exists, amendments in the bill provide further clarity and additional protection.

Legally, the bill is interesting because it requires a two‑thirds majority rather than a simple majority for the sale of GBEs and state‑owned companies. However, the bill itself doesn't require a two‑thirds majority to pass. So, repealing the requirement of a two‑thirds majority down the track, I am assuming won't be necessary if the bill before us today is amended or repealed. Do I have that correct? That might be something the Leader could answer.

If that's the case, the bill might not be as strong as what it's made out to be. I am interested to hear the response from the honourable Leader on this. If we really want to make sure our state‑owned companies and GBEs have protection now and into the future, we should be making sure that it's legally sound.

In essence and context, I agree with this bill. Tasmanian GBEs and state‑owned companies are important to Tasmanians, and they should be difficult to dispose of, not political footballs or items that can be easily disposed of in a budgetary emergency. The management and possible sale of GBEs and state‑owned companies is a discussion that needs to be approached with cool logic and based on merits. Requiring a two‑thirds majority to facilitate a sale adds in a commensurate level of scrutiny to that process.

I am also keen to hear from the Leader if she has any insight on the matter as to what other jurisdictions do with regard to the sale of their GBEs and state‑owned companies. Did the processes in other states and territories inform the bill we have before us today? I am interested to hear how other jurisdictions might facilitate these sorts of sale processes.

I don't think it's necessarily worth reflecting on the policy decisions that got us to this point, however, I believe it's worth pointing out that things owned by Tasmanians should have the permission of Tasmanians before they can be sold, privatised, wound up or significantly changed.

This bill gets us closer towards that, but I would like some clarity about how strong this bill actually is and how difficult it might really be for any future parliament to sell or dispose of Tasmanian GBEs or state-owned companies.