Tasmania politics: Labor leader Rebecca White says government must resist urge for early election

Labor leader Rebecca White says there’s “a very high chance that we won’t be returning to parliament in August” as she discusses the chances of an early election >>

Labor would rather the government got on the with job it was elected to do just two years ago than call an early election, Opposition leader Rebecca White says.

Ms White said she is concerned state parliament may not resume after the winter recess on August 8.

“It’s incredibly concerning that just two years after the last election, which was also an early election, there is serious talk that there could be another early election,” she said on Wednesday.

“It’s causing uncertainty for the business community, it’s causing uncertainty for government agencies who are trying to do their jobs and it’s causing uncertainty for the broader community who just want the government to get on do the job.

“I remain of the view that we will have an election much sooner than 2025 and I think there’s a very good chance that will be this year.

“This minority Liberal government has really struggled over the last few months.

Labor leader Rebecca White outside Dodges Ferry Primary School on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.

“They’re failing to deal with the serious issues confronting our state, whether it’s cost of living or health and housing, and now they’re looking for any distraction and I think an election could be the distraction of their thinking would be their solution, but it’s simply not going to solve the serious problems confronting Tasmania.”

Liberal Minister Nic Street said the the government was planning to go full term. An election is not due until around May 2025.
“The election timing has not changed and our Government remains fully focused on getting things done and delivering the things Tasmanians care about,” he said.

“Labor have been making things up for weeks to cause chaos and disruption, and this is just the latest example.”

But Ms White said she didn’t think the government would want to ensure another week like its last in parliament, where it lost multiple votes on the floor of the House of Assembly.

“I think there’s a very real chance that Jeremy Rockliff will call an election before parliament returns in August to avoid further embarrassment and humiliation because of the way that his two former members who’ve quit are treating the parliament. The premier doesn’t control the parliament now.

“He’s been asked to be more transparent and honest with Tasmanians, he’s failing to do that. “He’s losing votes in the parliament, he’s under enormous pressure and I think there’s a very high chance that we won’t be returning to parliament in August.”

Ms White said that there were a number of issues on Parliament’s agenda which would be severely disrupted if the House of Assembly was to be dissolved ahead of an election.

“You’ve got very serious examples, like the Commission of Inquiry with its work due to be handed down in September, where victim survivors are waiting to see the recommendations and a government willing to implement them, if there’s an early election, all of that gets thrown up in the air,” she said.

Originally published as Tasmania politics: Labor leader Rebecca White says government must resist urge for early election