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Tasmania election: Greens and Labor blame each other for poor results Tasmania election: Greens and Labor blame each other for poor results
(6 months later)
Labor and the Greens have blamed each other for the loss of votes in Saturday’s Tasmanian state election, while the South Australian Liberals insisted electoral boundaries prevented them from claiming a “deserved” outright win.Labor and the Greens have blamed each other for the loss of votes in Saturday’s Tasmanian state election, while the South Australian Liberals insisted electoral boundaries prevented them from claiming a “deserved” outright win.
The simultaneous state elections resulted in a decisive Liberal win in Tasmania and a likely hung parliament in South Australia, where the focus is now turning to negotiations with two independents.The simultaneous state elections resulted in a decisive Liberal win in Tasmania and a likely hung parliament in South Australia, where the focus is now turning to negotiations with two independents.
The Liberals have raised questions over the South Australian electoral system given the party could miss out on forming government despite securing about 53% of the two-party vote.The Liberals have raised questions over the South Australian electoral system given the party could miss out on forming government despite securing about 53% of the two-party vote.
In Tasmania, where voters elected a Will Hodgman-led Liberal government after 16 years of Labor rule, the Greens suffered a swing of about 8%, leaving them with about 13.5% of the vote and at least two seats in the 25-seat chamber.In Tasmania, where voters elected a Will Hodgman-led Liberal government after 16 years of Labor rule, the Greens suffered a swing of about 8%, leaving them with about 13.5% of the vote and at least two seats in the 25-seat chamber.
The Greens leader, Christine Milne, acknowledged it was a “challenging” election for her party in Tasmania, but predicted the Greens would end up with at least three seats and had a chance for a fourth. The Greens went in to the election with five seats.The Greens leader, Christine Milne, acknowledged it was a “challenging” election for her party in Tasmania, but predicted the Greens would end up with at least three seats and had a chance for a fourth. The Greens went in to the election with five seats.
Pinning part of the blame on the power-sharing agreement between Labor and the Greens after the 2010 hung parliament in Tasmania, Milne said the “it’s time” factor was at play.Pinning part of the blame on the power-sharing agreement between Labor and the Greens after the 2010 hung parliament in Tasmania, Milne said the “it’s time” factor was at play.
“Labor had been in government for 16 years,” Milne told the ABC on Monday.“Labor had been in government for 16 years,” Milne told the ABC on Monday.
“Back in 2010 the electorate had wanted to get rid of the Labor party and this time they made sure of it. We had been in an arrangement with them with two ministers in cabinet and we suffered as part of that. But the good thing is our vote increased by 2% from the federal election and we’re certainly on the turnaround in Tasmania.”“Back in 2010 the electorate had wanted to get rid of the Labor party and this time they made sure of it. We had been in an arrangement with them with two ministers in cabinet and we suffered as part of that. But the good thing is our vote increased by 2% from the federal election and we’re certainly on the turnaround in Tasmania.”
Milne said the latest result would not stop the Greens from forming alliances in the future because “from our point of view we are in parliament to get outcomes”.Milne said the latest result would not stop the Greens from forming alliances in the future because “from our point of view we are in parliament to get outcomes”.
Labor, which suffered a swing against it of about 9.5% to leave it with 27.4% of the vote, has also pointed to voter dissatisfaction with the power-sharing arrangement in Tasmania.Labor, which suffered a swing against it of about 9.5% to leave it with 27.4% of the vote, has also pointed to voter dissatisfaction with the power-sharing arrangement in Tasmania.
The federal opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said Labor’s formal relationship with the Greens was marked down by Tasmanian voters. Shorten said he could “foresee no set of circumstances that in the event that Labor was elected to government nationally, that we would go into a formal alliance with the Greens”. The Liberal party attracted a swing of 12.4% in Tasmania and a secured 51.4% of the vote, ending the premiership of Lara Giddings.The federal opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said Labor’s formal relationship with the Greens was marked down by Tasmanian voters. Shorten said he could “foresee no set of circumstances that in the event that Labor was elected to government nationally, that we would go into a formal alliance with the Greens”. The Liberal party attracted a swing of 12.4% in Tasmania and a secured 51.4% of the vote, ending the premiership of Lara Giddings.
The fate of the South Australian Labor premier Jay Weatherill remained unclear on Monday, with both major parties entering into talks with two independents, Frome MP Geoff Brock and Fisher MP Bob Such. The Liberal leader, Steven Marshall, is expected to meet with the independents on Monday, a day after the pair spoke with Weatherill.The fate of the South Australian Labor premier Jay Weatherill remained unclear on Monday, with both major parties entering into talks with two independents, Frome MP Geoff Brock and Fisher MP Bob Such. The Liberal leader, Steven Marshall, is expected to meet with the independents on Monday, a day after the pair spoke with Weatherill.
On Monday morning the ABC election calculator put Labor on 21 seats, the Liberals on 19 seats and the two independents, leaving five seats in doubt. A party needs to secure 24 of the 47 seats to govern in its own right.On Monday morning the ABC election calculator put Labor on 21 seats, the Liberals on 19 seats and the two independents, leaving five seats in doubt. A party needs to secure 24 of the 47 seats to govern in its own right.
Labor argued the close result showed South Australian voters were wary of Tony Abbott’s federal government and its hardline stance against industry assistance, exemplified by Holden’s decision to cease manufacturing in Australia.Labor argued the close result showed South Australian voters were wary of Tony Abbott’s federal government and its hardline stance against industry assistance, exemplified by Holden’s decision to cease manufacturing in Australia.
Shorten said South Australia had been “knocked around by job losses” and people had turned back to South Australian Labor, leaving the Liberals “feeling very bruised” with the result.Shorten said South Australia had been “knocked around by job losses” and people had turned back to South Australian Labor, leaving the Liberals “feeling very bruised” with the result.
“Everyone said that Labor was gone for all money,” Shorten said.“Everyone said that Labor was gone for all money,” Shorten said.
“Federal issues did play a role in the last couple of weeks of the state election.”“Federal issues did play a role in the last couple of weeks of the state election.”
But Abbott said the claims were undermined by the fact that the Liberals had secured about 53% of the two-party-preferred vote. The prime minister said only 37% of people had given their primary vote to the Labor party “so it’s hard to see how Mr Shorten can claim this is a vindication of Labor’s position”. The Liberal party won 44% of the primary vote.But Abbott said the claims were undermined by the fact that the Liberals had secured about 53% of the two-party-preferred vote. The prime minister said only 37% of people had given their primary vote to the Labor party “so it’s hard to see how Mr Shorten can claim this is a vindication of Labor’s position”. The Liberal party won 44% of the primary vote.
“This is another strong result when it comes to the people choosing between the Coalition and the ALP,” Abbott said on Monday.“This is another strong result when it comes to the people choosing between the Coalition and the ALP,” Abbott said on Monday.
Alexander Downer, the president of the South Australian Liberal party and the former foreign affairs minister, played down criticism of the SA party machine’s performance in crucial marginal seats.Alexander Downer, the president of the South Australian Liberal party and the former foreign affairs minister, played down criticism of the SA party machine’s performance in crucial marginal seats.
Downer said the Liberals consistently won the two-party-preferred vote but the system did not result in election victories.Downer said the Liberals consistently won the two-party-preferred vote but the system did not result in election victories.
“There are a lot of reasons for this and it’s partly to do with the big Liberal majorities in some country areas which is hard to redistribute,” he told the ABC on Monday.“There are a lot of reasons for this and it’s partly to do with the big Liberal majorities in some country areas which is hard to redistribute,” he told the ABC on Monday.
“But nevertheless the law in South Australia says that the electoral boundaries commission here should try to draw boundaries that reflect the public will as near as possible and the fact is after the last election the boundaries were barely changed despite the two-party-preferred win for the Liberal party.“But nevertheless the law in South Australia says that the electoral boundaries commission here should try to draw boundaries that reflect the public will as near as possible and the fact is after the last election the boundaries were barely changed despite the two-party-preferred win for the Liberal party.
“This time the Liberal party did even better. We don’t know yet what the final result of the election will be but certainly the Liberal party didn’t score the outright win it deserved on the night, on Saturday night. It could still achieve an outright win; that’s possible, not probable though.”“This time the Liberal party did even better. We don’t know yet what the final result of the election will be but certainly the Liberal party didn’t score the outright win it deserved on the night, on Saturday night. It could still achieve an outright win; that’s possible, not probable though.”
The Labor leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, said Labor had done “far better than many people predicted”, a testament to the campaigning capacity of the branch and Weatherill.The Labor leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, said Labor had done “far better than many people predicted”, a testament to the campaigning capacity of the branch and Weatherill.
Wong, who represents South Australia, said the electoral system in South Australia was introduced after urgings of the Liberal party.Wong, who represents South Australia, said the electoral system in South Australia was introduced after urgings of the Liberal party.
“On occasion in a representative democracy you’re going to get a difference between the popular vote and the number of seats because people vote differently in different seats,” Wong told the ABC.“On occasion in a representative democracy you’re going to get a difference between the popular vote and the number of seats because people vote differently in different seats,” Wong told the ABC.
Wong said she did not recall Liberals such as Pyne and Abbott arguing for a change to the electoral system when the federal Labor leader, Kim Beazley, won the popular vote against John Howard but did not win government in 1998. Wong said she did not recall Liberals such as Pyne and Abbott arguing for a change to the electoral system when the federal Labor leader, Kim Beazley, won the popular vote against John Howard but did not win government in 1998.