The MPs who could support Labor’s no confidence motion in Premier Rockliff

The state’s minority Liberal government face a tough battle after the Opposition tabled a no-confidence motion. Here’s who could support it.

Dean Winter has tabled a no-confidence motion in Premier Jeremy Rockliff.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff will face the toughest test of his 14-month-old Liberal minority government when Parliament resumes on Wednesday.

Labor leader Dean Winter has tabled a motion of no-confidence in the Premier which has gained the support of three key crossbench MPs.

Should Mr Winter formally move the motion, and if it is supported by the Greens, the motion could potentially topple the Premier — or the government.

Mr Rockliff says if the motion is passed before the budget, there was a risk the government would not be able to pay its bills, including public sector salaries.

Mr Winter tabled the motion during his budget reply speech on Tuesday.

Crossbench MPs Andrew Jenner, Craig Garland and Kristie Johnston have indicated their support.

The Greens party room will meet before Parliament on Wednesday to decide their position.

If successful, the motion could lead to Mr Rockliff’s resignation — or a state election.

On social media on Tuesday night, the Premier was defiant, despite apparently having lost the support of a majority of the MPs in the lower house of state parliament so early in his term.

“It seems Dean Winter and the Labor Party are hell bent on forcing Tasmania to an early election,” he wrote.

“An election just over 12 months since the last one. That’s the last thing Tasmania needs. That’s the last thing Tasmanians want.

“Investment and business confidence would go off a cliff.

“Because the budget hasn’t been passed, nurses, doctors, firefighters and police would risk not being paid.

“But that’s what a no-confidence vote would do: force Tasmania back to the polls.

“That’s not leadership. That’s an obsessive desire for power at any cost. Tasmania deserves better. We need to work together to build a better Tasmania.”

Mr Winter told ABC Radio on Tuesday evening the state was on the brink of financial ruin.

“I’m concerned if the numbers in this budget happened it will send Tasmania broke,” he said.

“It is the most extraordinary budget I have ever seen anywhere, and particularly in Tasmania’s history.

“I can’t stand idly by and watch this Premier take Tasmania into this level of debt and deficit.

“What he’s doing is mortgaging Tasmania’s future. Its our kids who will be paying this debt back in years to come.”

The Tasmanian Football Club issued a statement saying that the political uncertainty was of great concern to the club.

“Like the rest of the community, we are unsure what will happen today and what the impacts of any actions taken might be,” the statement said.

“What we do know is that uncertainty presents a serious risk for jobs, investment and growth, and for the future of Tasmania Football Club.

“Tasmania Football Club remains steadfast on building a club for all Tasmanians. We are also steadfast on staying out of politics.

“We ask that our political leaders understand the implications of their actions and decisions on the future of our state for all Tasmanians, a future which we know Tasmania Football Club can play a significant part.”

Winter vows to topple Premier

Dean Winter has tabled a no-confidence motion in Premier Jeremy Rockliff.

June 3: Opposition leader Dean Winter has tabled an open-ended no-confidence motion in Premier Jeremy Rockliff — pledging to topple the Liberal leader the moment he has the numbers.

Issuing a challenge to the crossbench during his budget reply, Mr Winter said last week’s state budget demonstrated the government had lost control of spending.

Treasurer Guy Barnett last week handed down a budget with a third-successive billion dollar plus deficit and debt projections nearing $11bln.

Mr Winter said the government has lost control of the state’s finances.

“It is clear the Premier has given up. There is no real attempt to fix this budget,” he said.

“Labor does not have confidence in this Premier.

“Today I have tabled a notice of motion that says this House has no confidence in the Premier, because he has wrecked the budget, because he is planning to sell our power companies, our ports and our public transport, and because no one can trust him after his handling of the Spirit of Tasmania fiasco.”

Mr Winter said it was time for the crossbench to show where they stood.

“My message is to the cross bench. The self-described ‘true opposition’,” he said.

“If they really are opposed to this Premier’s agenda of debt, deficit and debacle — as they claim — then tell the House you have lost confidence in this Premier.

“When enough members indicate their support for my motion, I will move it.

“If not, they will show they are happy to go along with his agenda. All the debt, all the cuts, and all the privatisation.”

Mr Rockliff was unimpressed by Mr Winters’s speech and defends his government’s record.
“Well, that was a negative outlook for Tasmania,” he said.

“I mean, if you’re a Tasmanian listening to that speech, of course, full of inconsistencies, hypocritical, laced with hypocrisy, but most importantly for Tasmania and Tasmanians talking this wonderful state down, a state that everyone has worked so hard over the course of the last 11 years to take it from economic laggard to leading the nation.

“I do want to congratulate our Treasurer on the delivery of his first budget, a measured responsible and a state-building budget, of course, and a budget that does get the balance right, a budget that is building a better Tasmania now and for the future.”

Greens deputy leader Vica Bayley said his party would discuss their approach to the motion in their party room “with the seriousness it deserves.”

Independent MP Kristie Johnson said she would support a no-confidence motion if it was formally moved.

“The budget is broken, major project delivery is failing each and every time. It’s not good enough. Tasmanians deserve better,” she said.

Former Lambie Network MPs, Miriam Beswick and Rebekah Pentland said they would not support the motion, despite their disappointment with the budget.

“We take the supply and confidence agreement we signed very seriously,” Mrs Beswick said.

“It was a commitment to Tasmanians as much as it was an agreement with the Premier.

“We’ve made our criticisms of the budget and the stadium saga crystal clear, but political chaos is not the answer.

And independent David O’Byrne said he was committed to a workable parliament and didn’t think Tasmanias would be keen to see another election so soon.

“Dropping a no-confidence motion which you are refusing to move at the end of the budget reply speech without any discussion with the cross bench does not indicate a genuine willingness to work with the cross bench,” he said.

Originally published as The MPs who could support Labor’s no confidence motion in Premier Rockliff