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| Liberal and Labor leaders court crossbench after snap Tasmanian election delivers another hung parliament | Liberal and Labor leaders court crossbench after snap Tasmanian election delivers another hung parliament |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Parties likely to have same number of seats as last parliament, but premier Jeremy Rockliff declares victory after Liberals secure 3% swing from Labor | Parties likely to have same number of seats as last parliament, but premier Jeremy Rockliff declares victory after Liberals secure 3% swing from Labor |
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| Tasmania’s premier and opposition leader have both reached out to independent MPs in the hope of forming government, after Labor lost ground in the early election it brought on. | Tasmania’s premier and opposition leader have both reached out to independent MPs in the hope of forming government, after Labor lost ground in the early election it brought on. |
| Saturday’s snap poll, 16 months after the last election, returned another hung parliament with the Liberals so far securing 14 seats and Labor nine, as counting continued. | Saturday’s snap poll, 16 months after the last election, returned another hung parliament with the Liberals so far securing 14 seats and Labor nine, as counting continued. |
| Both parties will be short of the 18 seats required for majority, with the Liberal premier, Jeremy Rockliff, declaring victory on election night and saying he would try to form a minority government. | Both parties will be short of the 18 seats required for majority, with the Liberal premier, Jeremy Rockliff, declaring victory on election night and saying he would try to form a minority government. |
| Rockliff on Sunday told reporters he’d reached out to potential crossbench collaborators. | Rockliff on Sunday told reporters he’d reached out to potential crossbench collaborators. |
| “My view is that the crossbench, in the cold, hard light of day, will recognise the party – being the Liberal party – with the most number of seats are able to, of course, form a cabinet,” the premier said. | “My view is that the crossbench, in the cold, hard light of day, will recognise the party – being the Liberal party – with the most number of seats are able to, of course, form a cabinet,” the premier said. |
| “What Tasmanians clearly voted for yesterday was an end to the political games. They expect a parliament to work together and they expect the parliament to last four years.” | “What Tasmanians clearly voted for yesterday was an end to the political games. They expect a parliament to work together and they expect the parliament to last four years.” |
| Labor under Dean Winter suffered a 3% swing against it to the Liberals. It was Labor’s worst vote in Tasmania in more than a century with the party securing 26% of the vote with three-quarters of the ballots counted. | Labor under Dean Winter suffered a 3% swing against it to the Liberals. It was Labor’s worst vote in Tasmania in more than a century with the party securing 26% of the vote with three-quarters of the ballots counted. |
| However, Winter hasn’t ruled out trying to form government if the Liberals are unable to get a left-leaning independent crossbench onside. | However, Winter hasn’t ruled out trying to form government if the Liberals are unable to get a left-leaning independent crossbench onside. |
| “I’ve spoken to a number of members of the crossbench and offered Labor will try and work differently and collaboratively,” the opposition leader said. | “I’ve spoken to a number of members of the crossbench and offered Labor will try and work differently and collaboratively,” the opposition leader said. |
| “I won’t go into the details of any of the conversations but we’ll treat people with respect. I think that’s what the crossbench is looking for and it’s also what Tasmanians are looking for.” | “I won’t go into the details of any of the conversations but we’ll treat people with respect. I think that’s what the crossbench is looking for and it’s also what Tasmanians are looking for.” |
| Winter reiterated on Sunday that he would not “do a deal” with the Greens. Labor would need support from the minor party, which holds five seats, to govern. | Winter reiterated on Sunday that he would not “do a deal” with the Greens. Labor would need support from the minor party, which holds five seats, to govern. |
| Winter said he would not compromise on Labor policy, including support for a $945m stadium which is opposed by the Greens and some crossbench independents. | |
| One of those independents, a re-elected Kristie Johnston, said she wouldn’t enter into a formal deal for confidence and supply with either major party and would provide support on merit. | One of those independents, a re-elected Kristie Johnston, said she wouldn’t enter into a formal deal for confidence and supply with either major party and would provide support on merit. |
| “They need to negotiate and respect the views of parliament,” she said. | “They need to negotiate and respect the views of parliament,” she said. |
| It could take weeks for the final outcome in the three remaining undecided seats, meaning a formal minority agreement might take even longer. | |
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| Rockliff would need to work with independents to govern, including two, Johnston and the re-elected Craig Garland, who voted for June’s no-confidence motion against him. | Rockliff would need to work with independents to govern, including two, Johnston and the re-elected Craig Garland, who voted for June’s no-confidence motion against him. |
| The June vote, which triggered the election, lashed ballooning debt under the Liberals and a bungled Bass Strait ferry delivery. | The June vote, which triggered the election, lashed ballooning debt under the Liberals and a bungled Bass Strait ferry delivery. |
| The state Greens leader, Rosalie Woodruff, kept the door ajar for a Labor alliance, calling on Winter to “have a conversation”. | The state Greens leader, Rosalie Woodruff, kept the door ajar for a Labor alliance, calling on Winter to “have a conversation”. |
| A drawn-out post-election scenario would delay the parliamentary approval process for the new stadium, a condition of Tasmania’s AFL licence. | A drawn-out post-election scenario would delay the parliamentary approval process for the new stadium, a condition of Tasmania’s AFL licence. |
| The project is supported by the Liberals and Labor but opposed by the Greens, Garland, Johnston and another elected independent Peter George. Incumbent stadium supporter David O’Byrne was returned. | |
| Rockliff on Sunday noted Labor’s support for the stadium and the fact the two major parties would likely make up 24 or 25 seats in the 35-seat lower house. | |
| “What the vote said is that two-thirds of Tasmanians voted for pro-Tassie Devils and pro-stadium candidates,” the premier said. | |
| The new parliament will be very similar to the previous one that included 14 Liberals, 10 Labor MPS, five Greens, five independents and one Jacqui Lambie Network member. | The new parliament will be very similar to the previous one that included 14 Liberals, 10 Labor MPS, five Greens, five independents and one Jacqui Lambie Network member. |