Pro-industry MP Dean Winter in box seat for Tasmanian Labor leadership, but some in left push Josh Willie

A former mayor and member of Labor’s right faction, Dean Winter, is favourite to take over Tasmania’s Labor leadership, but sections of the left are pushing an alternative.

Rebecca White announces her resignation as Tasmanian Labor leader at Richmond. Picture: Chris Kidd

A pro-industry former mayor and member of Labor’s right faction, Dean Winter, is favourite to take over Tasmania’s Labor leadership, but sections of the left are pushing alternative Josh Willie.

Labor’s parliamentary team must decide whether to informally decide on a new leader - or push the two potential contenders to multiple, potentially divisive ballots.

Outgoing Labor Leader Rebecca White quit on Tuesday, after presiding over Labor’s third consecutive election loss under her leadership.

“It is time for a new leader to take on the opportunity of guiding our great party, with the ambition to form government at the next election,” the 41-year-old said.

She insisted she alone had made the decision to quit, however – as revealed by The Australian on Sunday - she had little choice, after losing support from most of her colleagues to continue in the role.

As also revealed by The Australian, Ms White’s departure after seven years in the leadership – minus several weeks under David O’Byrne - follows her party rolling her on her initial view that Labor could try to form a minority government.

Mr Winter, a former mayor of Kingborough, in the state’s south, vocal in his support of the salmon and mining industries, only entered state parliament in 2021, but has quickly established himself as one of the party’s best performers.

The 38-year-old only secured Labor preselection in 2021 after the ALP national executive intervened, overruling left powerbrokers who had blocked his preselection in the southern seat of Franklin.

Labor's Rebecca White and Dean Winter speak to the media.

While sections of the left, notably elements of the union movement, remain hostile to Mr Winter, some left members of caucus back him as the best option to broaden support and take the fight up to the Rockliff government.

Mr Willie, a former teacher, is well regarded and has support within the dominant left faction, but only entered the lower house at Saturday’s election, after quitting his upper house seat, held since 2016.

Some, including within the left, believe he needs to earn his stripes in the lower house before coveting the leadership.

Mr Winter is understood to have told colleagues he is interested in the leadership position, while Mr Willie, 40, is thought to be considering his options.

Under party rules, any post-election leadership contest must be resolved by a ballot of the PLP and a ballot of members, with each having equal weighting.

If Mr Winter’s nomination is contested, a decision may need to wait until after Easter, as the final make-up of the PLP may not be known until after the cut-up of preferences from April 2.

Ms White is credited by many as unifying the PLP and improving the party’s standing after a disastrous period of factional and personal infighting that cruelled its chances at the 2021 state election.

On Tuesday, Ms White said it had been “an enormous privilege” to be leader, but that it involved “a lot of sacrifices” for her young family.

Labor managed only a small increase in its primary vote at Saturday’s election, which returned a minority Liberal government, and some left unions have criticised the campaign.

However, Ms White said she was “proud” of the campaign that shaved 12 percentage points off the Liberal primary vote. “Unfortunately, we fell short and as leader I take responsibility,” she said.

She would remain in parliament and urged her colleagues to remain “disciplined” in coming weeks. “I hope that the work that we’ve achieved over the last couple of years can continue to be built on as a strong foundation,” she said.