The Premier of Tasmania will call a snap election a year early

Tasmanians will go to the polls more than a year earlier than scheduled after Premier couldn’t break a stalemate.

Mr Rockliff had fallen out with two former Liberal MPs who quit the party to sit on the cross benches. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Tasmanians will go to the polls more than a year early after Premier Jeremy Rockliff could not break a stalemate with two key crossbenchers.

Mr Rockliff will call on the Governor Barbara Baker on Wednesday and then announce the date for the next state election, which was not due till mid-next year.

The Liberal Party has been in minority government since May 2023 when two MPs – John Tucker and Lara Alexander – quit the party to sit on the cross benches.

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has decided to call an early election. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Chris Kidd. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Chris Kidd

The pair had an agreement with Mr Rockliff to guarantee his government supply and confidence.

But the Premier wanted a tighter agreement after they supported opposition motions and criticise his government, including sending minister Guy Barnett to the privileges committee.

“The parliamentary Liberal Party this afternoon met to discuss the failure of former Liberal MPs John Tucker and Lara Alexander to commit to a new, enduring confidence and supply agreement,” Mr Rockliff said in a statement on Tuesday.

Mr Rockliff had fallen out with two former Liberal MPs who quit the party to sit on the cross benches. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“It was unanimously agreed that in the light of this, it was appropriate for me to request the governor to call a general election.

“The only way to restore the stability and certainty Tasmanians need is to re-elect a majority Liberal government.”

One of Mr Tucker’s had demanded the government introduce mandatory CCTV in abattoirs and end its support of the controversial AFL stadium for Hobart.

“If the two issues are not fixed, I will be moving a motion of no confidence in the government to bring the government down,” Mr Tucker said in January.

“They will not have my support, they will not have my supply and confidence.”

The parliament had been scheduled to sit for the first time this year on March 5.

Originally published as The Premier of Tasmania will call a snap election a year early