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Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff expected to push for early Tasmania election after losing no-confidence vote Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff expected to push for early Tasmania election after losing no-confidence vote
(30 minutes later)
Motion moved by opposition leader Dean Winter supported by Labor, the Greens and three other crossbenchersMotion moved by opposition leader Dean Winter supported by Labor, the Greens and three other crossbenchers
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The Tasmanian parliament’s lower house has passed a vote of no confidence in the Liberal premier, Jeremy Rockliff, setting the stage for the fourth state election in seven years.The Tasmanian parliament’s lower house has passed a vote of no confidence in the Liberal premier, Jeremy Rockliff, setting the stage for the fourth state election in seven years.
The motion – moved by the opposition leader, Dean Winter – was supported by Labor, the Greens and three other crossbenchers. The speaker, Labor’s Michelle O’Byrne, gave a casting vote to pass the motion 18-17 after a marathon two-day debate finished on Thursday afternoon.The motion – moved by the opposition leader, Dean Winter – was supported by Labor, the Greens and three other crossbenchers. The speaker, Labor’s Michelle O’Byrne, gave a casting vote to pass the motion 18-17 after a marathon two-day debate finished on Thursday afternoon.
Rockliff retained the support of the Liberal party. He said earlier he planned to ask the acting governor, Christopher Shanahan, to call a fresh election just 15 months after the state last went to the polls. Liberal MPs yelled out “weak” as the house divided for the vote, which passed just after 3.40pm.
Liberal MPs yelled out “weak” as the house divided for the vote. Rockliff said in parliament he was “so disappointed, if not brokenhearted” by the decision, and called it a “a very sad day for Tasmania”.
He retained the support of the Liberal party. He said earlier he planned to ask the acting governor, Christopher Shanahan, to call a fresh election just 15 months after the state last went to the polls.
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Rockliff, premier since 2022, had conceded the numbers were against him but vowed to “fight to his last breath” and not resign. The governor of Tasmania is now overseas, so Rockliff was due to drive to Government House to meet the lieutenant governor.
“If Mr Winter’s divisive and destructive motion is passed, I will be going to the lieutenant-governor and seeking an election,” he said on Thursday morning. Speaking in parliament after the vote, Rockliff acknowledged that there had not always been a “100% Liberal minority government success” but said his party’s agenda had been moved forward by negotiating.
“This will be advice I will provide to the governor that an election is needed, unless Mr Winter forms government with the Greens.” He then took aim at Labor, accusing Winter of “recklessness”.
Rockliff said Tasmania did not want and could not afford an election. “What I find most disappointing is the personalisation of the vote, if you like,” he said. “And I’ll be damned if the Labor party is going to choose the leader of the Liberal party that I love.
“Be that on Mr Winter’s head. This has been a selfish grab for power. I have a lot more fight in me,” he said. “At the end of the day, this was just a grievance debate.”
“The only job Mr Winter is interested in is mine. And I am not going anywhere.” He also issued a clear warning to Winter, saying, “You might get rid of me, mate. But I’ll tell you what: they’re coming for you as well, because you will always be known as a wrecker.”
Winter, opposition leader since Labor’s 2024 loss , said Tasmanians wanted to see the end of Rockliff and the Liberals, who have governed under three different premiers since 2014. If an election did take place, he said it would be one “Tasmanians don’t want, and Tasmania cannot afford”.
“This has been a selfish grab for power, which we will fight and we will do our darndest to win.”
Premier since 2022, Rockcliff had earlier conceded the numbers were against him but vowed to “fight to his last breath” and not resign.
After the vote, Winter told media he couldn’t “stand by” while the state’s budget deteriorated.
“I want to bridge the gap between Tasmania and the mainland,” he said. “I want to make sure that this is a state that has the best education facilities possible. I want this to be a state where you can get the healthcare you need anywhere you live.
“That is not what we have.”
Winter, the opposition leader since Labor’s 2024 loss, earlier said Tasmanians wanted to see the end of Rockliff and the Liberals, who have governed under three different premiers since 2014.
“We are ready for an election,” he said, flanked by his caucus outside a substation in Mount Wellington’s foothills, a site chosen to press home arguments against privatisation.“We are ready for an election,” he said, flanked by his caucus outside a substation in Mount Wellington’s foothills, a site chosen to press home arguments against privatisation.
“We will not stand by and let this premier wreck our budget and sell the assets that Tasmanians have built.”“We will not stand by and let this premier wreck our budget and sell the assets that Tasmanians have built.”
The vote passed just after 3.40pm on Thursday. Winter, who brought the no-confidence motion after a budget in deficit and forecasting a debt blowout of several billion dollars, pushed back againstRockliff’s claims he had opportunistically engineered the government’s demise.
It was not immediately clear whether Rockliff would head to Government House to advise officials to dissolve parliament and head to an election. “The premier did confidence and supply agreements with the crossbench when he became premier … and it was up to him to hold those agreements together,” he said.
Winter, who brought the no-confidence motion following a budget in deficit and forecasting a debt blowout of several billion, pushed back against Mr Rockliff’s claims he opportunistically engineered the government’s demise. “He couldn’t do it. Those agreements have fallen apart.”
“The premier did confidence and supply agreements with the crossbench when he became premier ... and it was up to him to hold those agreements together.
“He couldn’t do it. Those agreements have fallen apart,” he said.
Tasmania went to the polls just 15 months ago, in an election which returned the Liberals to power in minority with just 14 of 35 seats in the lower house.Tasmania went to the polls just 15 months ago, in an election which returned the Liberals to power in minority with just 14 of 35 seats in the lower house.
During the debate, Labor also lashed Rockliff for delays and cost blowouts to the delivery of two new Bass Strait ferries.During the debate, Labor also lashed Rockliff for delays and cost blowouts to the delivery of two new Bass Strait ferries.
Some crossbenchers and the Greens also have gripes with a new $945m stadium in Hobart, a condition of the Tasmania Devils entering the AFL in 2028. Some crossbenchers and the Greens oppose the proposed construction of a $945m stadium in Hobart, a condition of the Tasmania Devils entering the AFL in 2028.
Labor supports the team and a stadium, a position they reiterated on Wednesday in writing to the AFL. Labor supports the team and a stadium, a position the party reiterated on Wednesday in writing to the AFL.
The Devils fear an early election would delay the stadium project and put the club’s licence at risk. The Devils fear an early election would delay the project and put the club’s licence at risk.
The Greens had dangled the prospect of forming a minority government with Labor, a prospect Winter has ruled out.The Greens had dangled the prospect of forming a minority government with Labor, a prospect Winter has ruled out.