Update from the HoSS (06 Jun 2025)

Hello everyone,

No doubt you have been following or have heard about the Motion in Parliament over the past two days.

While I will not comment on political processes, I would like to share with you what I know about the coming days.

Given that the State Budget and appropriation bills will not proceed at this time, I am advised that the House of Assembly will resume on Tuesday, 10 June, to consider a Supply Bill.

Passing the Supply Bill will ensure that the public service continues to be paid after 30 June 2025. While the Financial Management Act contains a provision for two months of supply, due to the uncertainty of a potential election and the timing of government formation thereafter, a Bill to guarantee supply for longer than two months was recommended.

The Supply Bill will progress through the normal pathway: first through the House of Assembly, and then through the Legislative Council.

This is a priority, as it will ensure that the public service and organisations funded by the 2024–25 Budget can continue to provide services to the Tasmanian community.

I would like to thank the Treasury, Office of Parliamentary Counsel, and finance teams from each agency who have worked very hard to produce the Supply Bill this week.

I have also been advised that the Budget Estimates hearing process will not proceed next week as planned in either the House of Assembly or the Legislative Council.

I wish to acknowledge and thank everyone for the work that has gone into preparing for the Budget and Budget Estimates. We will ensure that this work is not wasted and that it informs other processes, such as the preparation of agency Annual Reports.

While there has been public messaging that the Premier will visit the Lieutenant Governor, if we proceed to a State Election, I will provide you with further advice regarding the caretaker conventions.

Until that time, we are not in caretaker mode, and we should continue the important work we do in serving the Tasmanian community.

I will provide further updates when more information is available.

Kind regards,

Kathrine Morgan-Wicks
Head of the State Service
Secretary, Department of Premier and Cabinet
06 Jun 2025