Jeremy Rockliff tipped to run as next Tasmanian Premier

While there were rumours Jeremy Rockliff was considering exiting politics, he has surprised colleagues by indicating a willingness to replace Peter Gutwein.

Two candidates want to be Tasmania’s next premier – Jeremy Rockliff and Michael Ferguson – with the outcome hinging on ­internal discussions and number-crunching.

Mr Rockliff, 52, the Deputy Premier and senior figure following the shock resignation of Peter Gutwein, is understood to have told colleagues he wants the job.

However, rival, senior minister Michael Ferguson, 48, is understood to be talking to colleagues about a potential leadership contest and counting numbers.

Mr Rockliff, a Liberal moderate, is thought most likely to have majority partyroom support, ­although sources suggested it was close enough for him to offer Mr Ferguson the positions of deputy and treasurer.

That would keep the peace ­between moderate and conservative factions – Mr Ferguson being a prominent conservative – and clearly anoint the younger man as Mr Rockliff’s heir apparent. A party­room meeting will ultimately determine the outcome, most likely on Friday, although it ­appears likely one or both men will make public statements well beforehand.

Affable and widely respected, Mr Rockliff has been Deputy Premier since the Liberals took power in 2014 and has handled the difficult health portfolio for ­almost a year. Preceding that, he was education minister, among other portfolios.

The member for the Northwest seat of Braddon since 2002, the same year Mr Gutwein entered the House of Assembly, Mr Rockliff had been rumoured to be considering retirement from politics.

However, sources said he had surprised colleagues by indicating an eagerness to replace Mr Gutwein and provide stability to the government, which has seen the sudden resignation of two premiers in just over two years.

Mr Gutwein announced his resignation on Monday, citing burnout. The next state election is not due until May 2025, giving his successor a lengthy period to ­consolidate.

Neither Mr Rockliff nor Mr Ferguson responded to requests for comment, as the state’s ­business community called for a smooth, rapid transfer of the leadership.

“The business community is looking for certainty and stability from the government,” said ­Michael Bailey, Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and ­Industry chief executive.

“We want the process to select a new leader to be completed as soon as possible and for the Liberals to get on with the job of implementing the policies they took to the last election and received a clear mandate for.”

Mr Rockliff comes from a farming background, once managing his family’s mixed cropping and prime lamb property in Sassafras, in the state’s rural Northwest, but has worked with Lifeline.

He is married to Sandra, with whom he has three young daughters, Ruby, Lucy and Holly.

Mr Ferguson, a former high school teacher, was the federal member for Bass from 2004 to 2007, before entering state parliament for the mirror state seat in March 2010.

He was health minister from March 2014 to July 2019 and has most recently been State Development, Construction and Housing Minister as well as Finance Minister.

Labor Opposition Leader ­Rebecca White said Tasmanians were receiving “anything but” the stable government they were promised at the May 2021 state election.