Tasmania to head back to polls for fresh state election as Jeremy Rockliff visits Government House
Tasmania will return to the polls July 19 after two days of talks were unable to resolve the state’s political deadlock — and candidates have already come out of the woodwork.
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Tasmania will return to the polls on July 19 after two days of talks failed to break a political deadlock.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff visited Governor Barbara Baker at Government House in Hobart shortly after 6pm on Wednesday.
A statement issued shortly afterwards on behalf of the governor revealed the election date.
“Following her meeting yesterday evening with the Premier, the Honourable Jeremy Rockliff MP, Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker AC, Governor of Tasmania, has considered his request for an election,” the statement said.
“She met with the Leader of the Opposition, the Honourable Dean Winter MP, this afternoon as part of her deliberations.
“This evening Her Excellency met with the Premier at Government House and advised him that she had determined that she would dissolve Parliament and issue the writ for an election to be held on Saturday, 19 July 2025.
“She provided the following statement regarding her chosen course of action:
“Notwithstanding the recent 2024 election, the public interest in avoiding the cost of another election and the prevailing public mood against holding an election, I have granted Premier Rockliff a dissolution.
“I make this grant because I am satisfied that there is no real possibility that an alternative government can be formed.”
A Labor motion of no confidence was passed against Mr Rockliff in state parliament last Thursday.
Parliament cleared the deck for an election by passing emergency funding bills on Tuesday.
The Governor met with Premier Jeremy Rockliff the same day, and Opposition leader Dean Winter on Wednesday, to find a way through the resulting impasse.
With Mr Rockliff refusing to resign, no Liberal MP willing to replace him and Labor unwilling to govern with the support of the Greens, an election was the only alternative.
Tasmania last went to the polls just over 14 months ago, on March 23 last year.
The 2025 election will be the fourth in seven years: after serving two four-year terms, the Liberals went early in 2021 and 2024.
Mr Rockliff said shortly before visiting the Governor a parliamentary Liberal party meeting had unanimously endorsed him as leader.
“Another election is not what I wanted, and I know that it’s not what Tasmanians wanted,” he said.
“But it was forced upon us by the Leader of the Opposition. So, let’s get on with it.
“Tasmania needs a strong majority Liberal government for certainty and stability so we can keep delivering our plan.
“Tasmania cannot afford the risk of going back to the bad old days of a Labor-Green Government.”
He said Labor continued to mislead voters about the Liberal’s now-emphatically abandoned plan for privatisation of government assets.
Mr Winter last night said the election presented Tasmanians with a choice.
“With Jeremy Rockliff granted his wish of an election, Tasmanians have a choice,” he said.
“The Liberals want to sell off Tasmania, while Labor will keep Tasmania in Tasmanian hands.
“Selling off Tasmania means higher prices for power, public transport, and other essentials.
“Only a vote for Labor will ensure Tasmanian profits stay in Tasmania, investing in schools, health, and housing.
“Our entire Labor movement is united and ready to send the Liberals a loud message – Tasmania is not for sale. It’s time for a fresh start for Tasmania.”
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said the election could have been avoided.
“Tasmanians don’t want this election, and neither did the Greens.
“They didn’t have to send Tasmanians back to the polls after only a year in Parliament, but Liberal and Labor politicians have put their political interests first, ahead of the needs of Tasmanians.
“Jeremy Rockliff could have respected the will of the Parliament, and stepped aside for another Liberal leader. Dean Winter could have sought to form government with other MPs.
“The Greens reached out to Labor and made it clear we were ready to find a way to work together in the best interests of all Tasmanians, but the Opposition Leader didn’t even respond.”
She said her party would be campaigning against the proposed Macquarie Point stadium.
Independent MP for Clark Kristie Johnston also greeted the news with dismay.
“This is the election we didn’t have to have. Jeremy Rockliff could have stood aside. Dean Winter could have worked with the crossbench. But both love a captain’s call.
“Under their leadership, there is no difference between Liberal and Labor.
“Liberal and Labor are the same on the stadium, on the Budget, on gambling reform, on salmon, on greyhound racing, on forestry, on planning laws, on their populist tough-on-crime approach, on UTAS, and so it goes.
“They are the same, focused on power plays rather than proper plans for Tasmania.
“And both major parties are operating as if they will only govern in a majority – ignoring the reality Tasmanians elected a power-sharing Parliament.”
Fresh from a strong showing in the seat of Franklin at the May 3 federal election, independent Peter George became the first to declare their candidacy.
“Liberal and Labor have signed a suicide pact by forcing Tasmania to an expensive, unnecessary early election that neither of them really want and will drive them like lemmings over the political cliff,” he said.
Derwent Valley mayor Michelle Dracoulis was a close second, also announcing a run as an independent.
EARLIER:
Premier Jeremy Rockliff is refusing to resign to defuse the state’s political crisis — questioning the legitimacy of a no-confidence motion passed by parliament against him.
Labor leader Dean Winter met with Governor Barbara Baker on Wednesday, but afterwards did not reveal any new information about his party’s intentions.
It was business as usual for the minority Liberal government.
Mr Rockliff held a press conference at the Royal Hobart Hospital spruiking the government’s four-year elective surgery plan, the day after asking Governor Barbara Baker to ask for another early election.
The Governor says she is “taking the time necessary to give due consideration to all available options”. An outcome is hoped for by the end of the week.
Mr Rockliff accused the Opposition leader of achieving his political ends by subterfuge.
“What Dean Winter needs to do is front up also today and say why he misled the crossbench, why he deceived the crossbench, why he deceived the parliament, and why he deceived the Tasmanian people as to the reasons why that no-confidence motion was put,” Mr Rockliff said.
Labor says the motion was prompted by the state’s spiralling debt and deficits. The Liberals say it was simply an attempt to topple the Premier and seize power.
Mr Rockliff has steadfastly refused to follow the convention of resigning in the wake of losing a no-confidence motion — and appears determined to lead the Liberal Party to an election.
“I have the support of my party room. I was elected by the Tasmanian people,” he said.
“We are delivering for Tasmanians, and I want to continue to deliver, as I said yesterday, respecting Her Excellency’s deliberations in terms of matters of state, but I remain committed to serving the people of Tasmania.”
“The parliament has worked well in Tasmania.
“Dean Winter saw an opportunity to blow that up for his own selfish grab for power.
“In the process, he deceived the parliament, misled the parliament when it comes to his true motivations and he needs to be held accountable for that.”
Mr Winter did not front the media on Wednesday, but issued a brief statement.
“Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker AC requested I meet with her this afternoon.
“In that meeting, I reiterated my position that Labor will not be doing a deal with the Greens.”
The Governor’s official secretary David Hughes confirmed Mr Winter’s visit.
“This afternoon Her Excellency the Honourable Barbara Baker AC, Governor of Tasmania, received the Opposition Leader, the Honourable Dean Winter MP, at Government House.
“As previously stated, Her Excellency is giving due consideration to all available options and is considering advice from a number of sources. No decision has been made at this time.
“Her Excellency will meet with the Premier, the Honourable Jeremy Rockliff MP, before the end of the week.
“Further statements will be made in due course.”
Health Minister Jacquie Petrusma was asked on Wednesday whether Mr Rockliff had the full support of the Liberal Party room.
“Definitely. The Premier is a fantastic leader in our party and he has 100 per cent support of the whole PLP,” she said.
She was asked if anyone was doing the numbers.
“There is only one leader of the Liberal Party, and that is Jeremy Rockliff. He has 100 per cent support of the full PLP,” she said.
And Mrs Petrusma was asked if she had been approached by other potential leadership contenders about how she might vote.
“There is only one leader of the Tasmanian Liberal Party and that is Jeremy Rockliff. He has 100 per cent full support,” she said.
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Originally published as Tasmania to head back to polls for fresh state election as Jeremy Rockliff visits Government House
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