Rebecca White quits Tasmanian Labor leadership in reform deal

Tasmanian Labor leader has sacrificed her leadership to secure reform of the party after declaring war on powerbrokers.

Labor's David O'Byrne at the declaration of the polls for the 2021 Tasmanian state election at Bellerive on Friday, May 14, 2021.

Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White has sacrificed her leadership to secure reform of the party, resigning in favour of rival David O’Byrne in exchange for a nationally-led internal review.

As forecast in The Weekend Australian, a cross-factional push featuring party elders, to save Ms White’s leadership, failed after “hard left” union leaders wielded their power in favour of Mr O’Byrne.

Under a deal cut between Ms White and the party’s controlling administrative committee, she quit in exchange for the ALP national executive taking stewardship of a review into party governance.

“I am standing aside because there needs to be change in the Labor Party,” Ms White said. “Not just in the leadership of the Parliamentary Labor Party, but right across the organisation. Now is the time to make that change.

“My ambition has always been to make our community stronger. However, it has become evident that Labor can only effectively do that if we also make our party stronger.

“There will be an extensive review into this state election that will give members, candidates and elected officials the opportunity to provide their views to a review panel appointed by the national executive, with the recommendations of that review to be implemented by the national executive.

“This way we can improve the governance and decision making of the party and give Labor the best chance to contest the next election competitively.”

Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White has resigned. Picture: Zalk Simmonds

The 38-year-old effectively declared war on party powerbrokers – particularly officials of the Health and Community Services Union and United Workers Union – by backing national executive intervention to install right faction candidate Dean Winter in the seat of Franklin.

As well, Ms White insisted party president Ben McGregor resign as a candidate over “vulgar” text messages he sent to a woman, further antagonising influential left union leaders.

Ms White’s decision not to force Mr O’Byrne to a leadership ballot of the party’s conference and wider membership means the former unionist is now favourite to take the top job.

However, it is understood unaligned Labor resources spokesman Shane Broad will also nominate for leader.

Some in the party – mostly the right faction but also unaligned members and sections of the left - believe “hard left” union leaders have gone too far in exerting control.

Ms White, who unsuccessfully led the party through two election campaigns and held the post for four years, said her pregnancy had nothing to do with her decision to quit and that she would remain in parliament.

“When I became leader in 2017, (my daughter) Mia was just shy of four months old,” she said. “I think it’s testament to the culture of the Labor Party that at no stage was my age, gender or young family considered a factor in whether or not I could also be the leader.

“As Rod and I prepare to welcome our second child into our family I want to make it clear that my decision to stand aside has nothing to do with my pregnancy.

“I want girls and women everywhere to know that they are capable of anything and they should back themselves to walk through doors when they open — and be prepared to kick them down if they have to.”

A meeting of the Parliamentary Labor Party is expected to be held as soon as Monday.