Tasmanian Labor unveils majority of candidates for next state election, due by June 28, 2025

Labor is not interested in forming a government with other parties, it is aiming to do it on its own: that is the message from Rebecca White, who has unveiled the party’s candidates.

Simon McGuire

2 min read

December 11, 2023 - 5:00AM

Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White with candidates (L-R) Kasper Deane (Franklin), Rebecca Prince (Clark), Ben Dudman (Lyons), Meg brown (Franklin), Susan Wallace (Clark) and Stuart Benson (Clark) at St Andrews Park, Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

Tasmania

Don't miss out on the headlines from Tasmania. Followed categories will be added to My News.

Labor says it is ready for an election to be called at any time and has readied its candidates across the state.

Speaking in Hobart on Sunday, Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White said the party was ready to campaign for the next state election, which will occur on or before June 28, 2025.

“We’ll make sure that Tasmanians have a government that’s focused on the right priorities; the priorities of addressing cost of living, health and housing, and making sure that Tasmanians can raise their family here, knowing that they’ve got a government that’s got their best interests at heart,” Ms White said.

“We’ve been doing a workshop over the weekend getting to know one another and focusing on how we’re going to get out and represent our Tasmanian community to the best of our ability to form government after the next election with a team who are connected to their community, who are passionate, who have got a great experience from a range of different, diverse backgrounds, and I know they are all fired up, ready to get going.”

Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White with candidate Michelle Dracoulis (Lyons) at St Andrews Park, Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

Labor will field seven candidates on each of the state’s five electorates, with a handful of those running still yet to be announced.

Ms White said that “no one knows when the next election will be”.

“This is a government that’s lurched from crisis to crisis and just a short while ago was talking about calling an election on themselves after the Attorney-General [Elise Archer] resigned,” she said.

“I think we have to be prepared for an election at any point in time.

“I’ve been clear that we’re getting ourselves organised as the Labor Party with our candidates and with our policy platform.

“An election could be as soon as the next half of 2024, and we’re ready if that’s the case.”

Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White with candidates (L-R) Simon Bailey (Franklin), Casey Farrell (Lyons) and Ebony Altimira (Franklin) at St Andrews Park, Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

Ms White said the party aimed to gain majority government in the next election.

“I’ve got outstanding candidates who are well connected in their communities, who’ve got the ability to get a very big vote for themselves to support the Labor vote overall for us to win enough seats to form government; that’s our aim,” she said.

“We’re in this to win this; we’re not half-hearted about it.

“Every single person here has decided they’re going to put their hand up to not only represent the Labor Party but to represent their community because they know that Tasmania deserves better; they know Tasmania deserves a government that’s focused on the key priorities for our state, and right now they’ve not got that.”