The Legislative Council currently stands at four Liberal, four Labor and seven independents. Three of the independents are conservative, three are well to the left of Labor and one (Ruth Forrest) has moved from the left to the centre in recent years. While the Liberal Government therefore has a relatively easy time of it and wins the majority of contested votes, it still needs to convince someone from the left or centre to support it on major legislation. I'm starting with Rumney because it is the seat with a major party contest although that contest has less excitement about it so far than last time.
Seat Profile
Rumney is an urban fringe semi-rural seat on Hobart's eastern shore. The 2017 redistribution reduced the size of Rumney with Sorell and the Tasman and Forestier Peninsulas going to the new seat of Prosser. Rumney is now primarily the outer part of the Clarence council boundary, including Risdon Vale, Richmond, Lauderdale, Cambridge, Seven Mile Beach and South Arm. It surrounds Pembroke which contains the inner Clarence suburbs. Rumney also includes the commuter suburb of Midway Point (which is part of Sorell council) and Old Beach (Brighton).
