Franklin independent David O’Byrne says he’s lost confidence in Deputy Premier Michael

The survival of key Liberal Michael Ferguson hangs by a thread after key independent David O’Byrne declared he had lost confidence in the beleaguered Treasurer and Deputy Premier. What Mr O’Byrne said >>

David O'Byrne independent member for Franklin. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Former Labor leader turned independent David O’Byrne has issued a vote of no confidence in beleaguered deputy premier Michael Ferguson, saying the politician has displayed a “breathtaking lack of contrition”.

Mr O’Byrne said Mr Ferguson has “culpability” for the bungled and costly handling of both the TT Line and TasPorts; and that these “significant failings were entirely avoidable”.

“The people are Tasmania have quite rightly been outraged by the situation our state faces in relation to the TT Line and TasPorts fiasco,” Mr O’Byrne said at a press conference on Sunday afternoon.

“This sorry episode will not only cost Tasmanians close to $100m directly, but will also cost our state’s economy in excess of half a billion dollars of economic activity.”

Mr O’Bryne negotiated a confidence and supply agreement with premier Jeremy Rockcliff’s minority government in April.

On Sunday Mr O’Byrne said the agreement came with “significant qualifications” which clearly stipulated what he would do in the event of “gross incompetent or serious misbehavior” by the Premier or his ministers, in addition to “reprehensible failures of policy and governance.”

Blame for the TT Line and TasPorts fiasco lay “ultimately” with the key shareholder, Mr O’Byrne said.

“Mr Ferguson has demonstrated a breathtaking lack of contrition and has simply resorted to putting the blame on others.”

On Sunday Premier Jeremy Rockliff says Mr Ferguson continued to have his full support.

“I remain fully focused on delivering the solutions needed to ensure the Spirits are delivered and the appropriate berthing infrastructure is in place,” he said.

The independent’s strong condemnation of Mr Ferguson comes as fellow independent Craig Garland spent his weekend considering his options as pressure builds for a no-confidence vote in Mr Ferguson when parliament resumes on Tuesday.

Labor is expected to move a motion of no confidence, which the Greens, Jacqui Lambie Network (JLN) MP Andrew Jenner, and independent Kristie Johnston are likely to back.

Meanwhile, ex-JLN turned independent MPs Miriam Beswick and Rebekah Pentland, along with Franklin member David O’Byrne, last week said they would examine the evidence before making a decision around Mr Ferguson’s future.

So far, 17 members of parliament have made it clear they would likely vote in favour of a no-confidence motion. The Liberals, with 14 members, will need to maintain the support of Ms Pentland and Ms Beswick and lock in Mr Garland’s vote to tie the result.

The vote needs 18 members to be successful, which would put tremendous pressure on Labor Speaker Michelle O’Byrne if the vote ends in a deadlock.

Treasurer and Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson currently. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Earlier in the week Labor leader Dean Winter demanded Premier Jeremy Rockliff sack Mr Ferguson from Cabinet.

Mr Ferguson has resigned as infrastructure minister but the Labor party and Mr O’Byrne agree this is not enough.

Labor maintains that Mr Ferguson misled a parliamentary committee hearing in April 2022 when he said “there is not a view that the price has changed” about The Spirits of Tasmania project.

Mr O’Byrne said that he had examined “recent evidence” and while he does not believe Mr Ferguson has misled parliament, his “lack of transparency, oversight and action over the last few years and his actions over the last few months amounts to a reprehensible failure of policy and government”.

“To that end I have today informed the Premier I have lost confidence in Michael Ferguson continuing to be a member of Cabinet.”

Labor leader Dean Winter said strong leadership was sorely needed to stop decades of bumbling and “incompetence” by Mr Ferguson.

“After 10 years of the Liberals, the wheels have truly fallen off Jeremy Rockliff’s minority government.” Mr Winter said in a statement on Sunday.

“I’m pleased the crossbench has agreed with Labor’s position. Given the Premier could not say he had confidence in Michael Ferguson, he could hardly expect anyone else to.”

“Whoever replaces Michael Ferguson needs to urgently start fixing his budget disaster, the mess he’s made with the new Spirits and come up with a plan to get back the 5000 jobs that have been lost since Jeremy Rockliff’s took his government into minority.”

Originally published as Franklin independent David O’Byrne says he’s lost confidence in Deputy Premier Michael