Rockliff government gambles on the polls, Tasmania heading to an election at date yet to be confirmed

The decision has been made to head to the polls in what could be the biggest gamble yet made by the Rockliff government. It ends months of speculation >>

Premier Jeremy Rockliff at Dodges Ferry Primary School. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Tasmanians will go to the polls a year early, Premier Jeremy Rockliff announced on Tuesday.

Mr Rockliff is expected to visit Governor Barbara Baker to ask for an early election on Wednesday.

Subject to her agreement, the nation’s last Liberal government is expected to face the judgment of voters on March 23 - a week after the tenth anniversary of the Hodgman government’s elevation to power.

The five-week election campaign will be wrapped up before Easter and will return a 35-seat House of Assembly

“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.

Independent member for Lyons John Tucker and Independent member for Bass Lara Alexander after a meeting with Premier Jeremy Rockliff to discuss their relationship going forward. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“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.”

MPs coming and going from the Executive Building on Tuesday were tight-lipped, but two appointments to the Supreme Court and the announcement of a new Auditor General on Tuesday signalled a government preparing to enter caretaker mode.

The Liberals were elected to a record third term under Peter Gutwein in 2021 with a slim majority of 13 seats in the 25-seat house.

The defection of MPs Lara Alexander and John Tucker last year left the Rockliff government in minority with 11 seats and struggling to win key votes in parliament.

Front page of The Mercury for February 14, 2024 after Jeremy Rockliff announces an election is on.

The latest opinion polling points to neither of the major parties being in a position to form a majority government: the Liberals’ primary vote is estimated at around 36 per cent, Labor’s at 31 per cent and the remainder evenly split between the Greens and independents.

Parliament was due to resume on March 5, but Mr Rockliff issued an ultimatum Mrs Alexander and Mr Tucker, who hold the balance of power, to fall into line with the government or go to the polls.

Talks last week did not resolve the gulf between the government and the breakaway MPs, and Mrs Alexander on Tuesday issued a media release that did nothing to ease tensions.

“I didn’t leave the Liberal Party because I found the crossbench more attractive, I left because the Liberal Party was an abusive partner,” she said.

“Now, just like that abusive partner, the Liberal Party still believes that if it insists enough, and gets enough of its mates to join in, I’ll give in and meekly sit in the corner like the submissive female, waiting for permission to speak.

Independents John Tucker and Lara Alexander with Premier Jeremy Rockliff in Launceston after reaching an agreement to work together. Picture: Rob Burnett

“I was elected after Sarah Courtney resigned. Since then, I have moved to the crossbench and Jacquie Petrusma and Elise Archer have joined Sarah in leaving the parliament. There is something amiss when a modern parliamentary party has 11 lower house MPs, but only one of them is a woman,” she said.

“I’m a first-term MP, but Sarah, Jacquie and Elise were experienced MPs with vast ministerial experience. Their departure is an indictment of the culture within the Liberal Party, however, you cut it.

“I’d also suggest that a Liberal Party with Maddie Ogilvie in its ranks is in no position to lecture anybody about party loyalty.”

Madeleine Ogilvie MP. Picture: Chris Kidd

Liberal minister Madeleine Ogilvie denied the Liberals were not representative of the women of Tasmania.

“I’m a big fan of women and, you know, I am one,” she said.

“I am here to say to the women of Tasmania, we got you.

“I get it, I’m a mother of three I’m running the house and I’m doing all of those things that everybody in Tasmania needs to do when they’re raising their families. To attract women we need to be speaking with that voice, which I hope I can do.”

Labor leader Rebecca White said the Premier had finally “come clean about his true intentions” after seven months of saying there would be no early election.

“After two weeks of dithering since trying to be the tough guy to John Tucker and Lara Alexander, the Premier has never looked weaker,” she said.

Tasmanian Labor Leader Rebecca White. Picture: Linda Higginson

“After 10 years of the Liberals, Tasmanians want urgent action on the cost of living. They want to pay Tasmanian prices for Tasmanian power, and they want a plan to set Tasmania up for the future.

“Tasmanians want a health system which meets their needs, they want better access to housing and they want their children to get a good education.”

Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said it was the second term in a row a Liberal premier had called an election a year early purely for the sake of their own political self-interest.

“So much for “stable majority government”,” Dr Woodruff said.

However we got here, we’re now in an election campaign that’s an exciting generational opportunity for real and lasting positive change.

“The Greens are ready to go, and we’ve already been getting really good feedback from the community about our vision for Tasmania.”

Originally published as Rockliff government gambles on the polls, Tasmania heading to an election at date yet to be confirmed