Prof Richard Herr suggests Green or Independent MPs for cabinet reshuffle

Premier Jeremy Rockliff on Sunday will announce a new look cabinet. Read what a political analyst has suggested.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff will announce a cabinet reshuffle after two ministers resigned last week. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

A Tasmanian academic says the Premier should look to the Greens and crossbench to fill cabinet vacancies.

After the shock resignations of deputy Premier and treasurer Michael Ferguson and Finance Minister Nic Street in less than a week, Jeremy Rockliff will announce a cabinet reshuffle on Sunday.

Professor Richard Herr said Mr Rockliff could take on the key treasury portfolio but “he can’t do everything”.

Queen's Birthday Honours, Doctor (Dr) Richard Herr awarded an Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to higher education in the field of political science

“He would have to remember that Treasury is in trouble in part because of the infrastructure errors and the cost overruns and he can’t do everything,” he said.

“Health, infrastructure, education are all expensive portfolios, and he needs people who can do those jobs so that if he wants to be treasurer, he can make decisions about the economic priorities.

“The pressures of government in a minority situation particularly are so significant.”

Prof Herr repeated calls for Mr Rockliff to consider power-sharing with the Greens and consider former Labor leader David O’Byrne for cabinet.

“When the premier took the option of herding cats, rather than the upfront difficulty of arranging a power showering arrangements with the Greens, he chose the course that we’re now on.

“It’s fragile and the government’s fate is a day to day existence, and that is shown up in the terms of the stress it puts on ministers. The uncertainty of government is an additional stress.”

Independent member for Franklin David O'Byrne. Return to the house of assembly question time. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Prof Herr said Mr O’Byrne, who sits as an independent, had the experience to be a minister.

“For the government, there would be the problem then of who else on the crossbenches feels that they might get a guernsey?

“I have a feeling it would create more tensions on the crossbench.”

It seems unlikely Eric Abetz will be made treasurer even though Prof Herr said he was the most experienced.

Mr O’Byrne said given his views and values “the issue of cabinet solidarity may be problematic for me”.

Bass is currently without a minister but MPs in the mix include former minister Jacquie Petrusma, Clark MP Simon Behrakis and former Sorell mayor Kerry Vincent recently elected to the Legislative Council.

Prosser Liberal candidate Kerry Vincent at Sorell. Picture: Chris Kidd

Jacquie Petrusma MP and Jane Howlett MP. Picture: Chris Kidd

Labor’s treasury spokesman Josh Willie said Mr Rockliff had huge problems after “losing their finance team” and wants new deputy Premier Guy Barnett to become Treasurer.

“We know under the Liberal Party rules that the deputy gets to pick the portfolios, so it’ll be interesting to see whether Guy Barnett is up to the challenge of Treasury, or whether he squibbs it,” he said.

“I think he should take on the portfolio, but if he doesn’t, Premier Rockliff may have to take it on himself, and that’s going to add to his workload and his pressures.”

He said the election had provided a coalition of chaos which was destabilising the economy and the government would struggle to deliver four budgets.

Originally published as Prof Richard Herr suggests Green or Independent MPs for cabinet reshuffle