On 19th July 2025, Independent Peter George was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly in electorate of Franklin.
Thanks to an exuberant campaign that attracted over 600 volunteers, Peter won the seat convincingly on first preference votes - the only candidate in Franklin to do so.
As a Community Independent Peter is accountable only to the people of Franklin, not to lobbyists, political parties or their corporate donors.
Peter is your Independent voice in Parliament. He wants to hear from you!
The electorate of Franklin positively hums with creative talent - in fact, I reckon our island probably has more creatives per head of population in the nation.
Last night saw the opening of “Artists of the Huon Valley” collective show at Salamanca’s Long Gallery.
It’s on until Sept 21 … and well worth visiting.
Friday, Sept 11:
Few things trigger my frustration more than politicians trying to win public support by being “tougher on crime” than anyone else by imposing minimum mandatory sentences for convicted offenders.
It undermines almost 300 years of jurisprudence that separates the powers of the Parliament from those of the judiciary.
Parliament’s job is to set maximum penalties.
Judges and magistrates impose them according to circumstances.
Last night, Tasmania’s Liberal/Labor coalition joined hands - yet again - to undermine this valuable tenet of democracy and justice by imposing mandatory minimum jail sentences for gun theft.
Political expediency rules!
Thursday, Sept 10:
In the end difficult decisions on how to vote in Parliament often come down to a matter of conscience.
Debate ran late last night on whether to ease laws restricting the use of sound suppressors on firearms in Tasmania.
I’d originally given my support to the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers’ Carlo Di Falco, who advocated for the change but, after listening to some cogent and passionate debate in the House, I was persuaded to change my position.
When it comes to firearms, my approach is to apply an abundance of caution.
I won’t say Carlo was happy about my change of heart but he took it well.
And I’ll have disappointed some hunters who’d thanked me for the support but - as I say - in the end you have to vote with your conscience.
Wed, Sept 9: Labor and Liberal joined together - yet again - to defeat a sensible and really quite conservative motion calling for a proper investigation of Animals Australia’s allegations of cruelty in the salmon industry, impacting the “king of fish” in the pens as well as wildlife caught up in the industry’s practices.
The usual knee-jerk reaction to protect the industry seemed to be mostly based on protecting jobs, oh and a legal furphy from the Treasurer.
Here’s my summing up of the debate.
Tuesday, Sept 8:
This week a great deal of parliamentary time will be taken up debating Tasmania’s response to the national firearms debate sparked in the aftermath of the Bondi massacre last December.
Among the most contentious issues are caps on gun ownership & changes to categories of guns.
The Police Commissioner proposed caps and I will support them, with exemptions for good reasons but it’ll be a closely contested debate and the vote will come down to the wire.
https://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/bills/bills2026/firearms-amendment-strengthening-firearms-security-bill-2026-30-of-2026
Tuesday, Sept 8: Today Animals Australia published two devastating indictments of the multinational salmon industry’s practices in breach of the same animal welfare laws that every Tasmanian has to follow - or risk a criminal prosecution.
I’ll be introducing a motion into the Parliament tomorrow (Wednesday) calling on the government to ensure a full, transparent and complete investigation of Animal Australia’s complaints - followed by prosecutions where breaches are identified.
Today’s adjournment speech on the likely catastrophic impacts that the salmon industry will have on our waterways and the endangered Maugean Skate, this summer, with the oncoming ElNino weather pattern.
I reckon I could take a fashion tip or two from fellow MP, Prof. George Razay. He dressed to fit the occasion moving a motion in parliament in praise of the miraculous impact that music can have on the life of people - particularly as we grow older.
A lesson lost on me, I’m afraid, as I have no musical talent at all.
