Presidential push presses pause on Premier Rockliff’s reset

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s political reset is being sabotaged by a campaign for the state Liberal presidency that seeks to galvanise ‘disaffected members’ and reassert ‘power’ over MPs.

Tasmanian Liberal Party presidency candidate Brendan Blomeley in his video pitch to "disaffected members".

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s political reset is being sabotaged by a campaign for the state Liberal presidency that seeks to galvanise “disaffected members” and reassert their “power” over MPs.

Just 24 hours after the nation’s last Liberal Premier vowed to heave his troubled minority government “back on track”, a video by party conservative Brendan Blomeley threatened to deepen internal unrest.

Pitching himself for party president, Mr Blomeley, Mayor of Hobart’s eastern shore municipality Clarence, warns the party is “at a crossroads” and in need of “capable, professional leadership”.

In the video, sent to members via email and posted on YouTube before being removed allegedly at the insistence of party director Peter Coulson, Mr Blomeley vows to have “challenging con­versations” and protect “Liberal values”.

While Mr Rockliff on Thursday began his comeback “state of the state” speech with a plea for a Yes vote on the voice to parliament, Mr Blomeley’s video insists the party must vehemently ­oppose it.

“As an organisation, we must vigorously campaign against Labor’s divisive voice to parliament,” Mr Blomeley says in the presidential-style video.

He also insists the party should support senator Claire Chandler’s Save Women’s Sports bill, in a slap-down of Mr Rockliff’s support for transgender rights.

Mr Blomeley’s video paints a bleak picture of the party: “We’re in opposition federally, we’ve lost two state MPs (to the crossbench), we have lost a major branch (the Northeast branch in revolt against the government) and we are dealing with a declining and disaffected membership.”

Reflecting grassroots disaffection with the Premier and senior ministers, Mr Blomeley says: “I’m sure we can all agree that the issue of loyalty and support between the party and our parliamentary wing needs to be a genuine two-way street.

“Friends, there is a need for our party to be capably and professionally led. As president, I will champion the views of the ­membership internally…The role of state president is to serve you – the members of our organisation – first and foremost. I won’t be afraid of having the challenging conversations.”

Premier Jeremy Rockliff. Picture: Chris Kidd

Senator Claire Chandler. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

He vows to “ensure our elected representatives listen and take note” and are held to account at preselection time. “I will ensure the one power the membership has over its parliamentary members – endorsements – will be closely guarded,” he says. “I offer you my services to reinvigorate our party.”

Liberal Party sources said Mr Blomeley’s campaign was clearly aimed as a lightning rod for ­members’ discontent at the ­government.

They warned it could see public shows of dissent at the party’s state council on August 5, when the presidency is decided. The Weekend Australian understands Mr Blomeley was warned by Mr Coulson he faced disciplinary ­action unless he removed the video from YouTube.

Mr Blomeley said he was “unable to make any comment” under party rules. Mr Coulson and Mr Rockliff were contacted for ­comment.

A former political staffer, Mr Blomeley made headlines in 2017 after having a conviction for harassing his then in-laws with abusive messages set aside on appeal. He was required to enter into an 18-month good behaviour bond.

In 2021, he was dumped from a multicultural ambassador role with a mental health organisation after lauding a local craft store’s display of golliwogs and railing against the “PC brigade”.