Tasmanian parliament will sit this week and new Labor leader Dean Winter reveals day one strategy

As Labor leader Dean Winter discusses whether a vote of no confidence is on the cards — he also reveals how the stadium backflip came to be.

Shadow Cabinet announced, Ella Haddad MP, Labor Leader Dean Winter MP and Josh Willie MP at Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

New Labor leader Dean Winter has promised not to move a no-confidence motion in the government when the new parliament sits for the first time on Tuesday.

He also told the Sunday Tasmanian Labor’s about face in supporting an AFL stadium was not a captain’s pick.

There will be 13 new faces in the expanded 35-seat House of Assembly including an unprecedented 11 MPs sitting on the crossbench.

It will be a day of pomp and ceremony for the opening of parliament which last sat on December 12 after being recalled for just one day to consider a motion which was later withdrawn.

Mr Winter said it was important to try to make the new parliament work.

“Tasmanians have given us a challenging parliament, but they’re always right, and to be respectful to Tasmanians, we need to try and make this parliament work,” he said.

Labor leader Dean Winter and CFMEU Shop Steward Jim Stuht at Bridgewater. Picture: Chris Kidd

“And that means being constructive.

“I don’t think Tasmanians want to see us getting into parliament and moving no confidence on day one.

“I think that would be a betrayal of their trust.

“We will be being as constructive as we can, making sure we’re providing certainty for jobs, certainty for traditional industries like forestry, aquaculture and mining.

“We’re seeing the Jacqui Lambie Network and some independents questioning the value of traditional industries.

“It’s important for the business community and workers that Labor is on their side. We will back in them in the parliament every day.”

Mr Winter, who was elected unopposed as Labor leader replacing Rebecca White, said he had the support of his colleagues for changing Labor’s stance on the stadium.

“I said when I got this job I wasn’t going to be like Jeremy Rockliff and make decisions without consulting my colleagues,” he said.

“Our Prime Minister Anthony Albanese supported the stadium more than 12 months ago so by taking the same position I think it makes it very clear to our party and our members that we stand for jobs and we stand for construction jobs.

“Our position before the election was to renegotiate the deal with the AFL.

“We lost the election and obviously can’t renegotiate the deal with the AFL because we’re not in government.”

He does not expect party members to quit over the policy change saying “there’s always a range of different views on most issues”.

Mr Winter has replaced more than half the team in his office.

One staffer who has worked in government and opposition for 24 years has left and he has also hired former party secretary Stuart Benson, a prominent left member.

Originally published as Tasmanian parliament will sit this week and new Labor leader Dean Winter reveals day one strategy