Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff set to resign as no-confidence vote looms

Tasmanian Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff appears to have lost the confidence of the House of Assembly and, barring any crossbencher backflips, will have to resign or call a snap election.

Dean Winter, right, has tabled a no-confidence motion in Premier Jeremy Rockliff.

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Tasmanian Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff appears to have lost the confidence of the House of Assembly and, barring any crossbencher backflips, will have to resign or call a snap election.

With three crossbenchers late on Tuesday publicly supporting a foreshadowed Labor no-confidence motion in the beleaguered Liberal leader, his premiership appears doomed.

The final decision will now rest with the state Greens, who will meet as a party – most likely early on Wednesday – to decide Mr Rockliff’s fate.

However, the Greens have previously expressed a lack of confidence in the minority Liberal government, which is unpopular due to alleged budget mismanagement, bungled ferry infrastructure and the AFL stadium project.

Key independent Craig Garland told The Australian the Liberal budget’s doubling of state debt, the stadium and the TT-Line ferries fiasco were keys to his decision.

“I’ll be supporting a no-confidence motion in the Premier. I’m just sick to death of the arrogance and ignorance,” he said.

“Our debt situation … I won’t be supporting that. I’m sick of them changing policies to suit individual people or projects. I’m sick of this stadium … The Spirits (ferries) debacle.”

Independent MP Craig Garland. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

A successful no-confidence motion in Mr Rockliff would force him to resign and the minority Liberals to appoint a new leader, unless the Premier could persuade the Governor to call an early state election.

Frontrunners to replace him as premier include former senator and senior minister Eric Abetz, Treasurer Guy Barnett and minister Felix Ellis.

Independent Kristie Johnston and Jacqui Lambie Network MP Andrew Jenner joined Mr Garland in flagging support for the no-confidence motion, ­tabled by Labor leader Dean Winter on Tuesday in his budget in reply speech.

Mr Winter said he would move the motion as soon as he had sufficient crossbench support to pass it.

“I have tabled a notice of ­motion that says this House has no confidence in the Premier ­because he has wrecked the budget, because he is planning to sell our power companies, our ports and our public transport,” Mr Winter said.

“And because no one can trust him after his handling of the Spirit of Tasmania (ferries) fiasco.”

Mr Rockliff accused the Labor leader of being “nasty” and of “bullying” the crossbench.

“It’s extraordinary that you would threaten the crossbench … that have worked very hard for their constituencies,” he said.

The issue is expected to come to a head early on Wednesday, after the Greens partyroom has formalised its response.

But if the Greens, as expected within political circles, back the motion, and the three indep­endents remain in support, it should pass with the required 18 votes in the 35-seat Assembly.

Mr Winter’s move is a turnaround for Labor, which has previously failed to support no-confidence motions in the troubled minority government.

The Labor leader told crossbenchers they would be complicit in the Liberals’ unpopular agenda if they failed to support the motion.

“If they really are opposed to this Premier’s agenda of debt, deficit and debacle – as they claim – then tell the House you have lost confidence in this Premier,” Mr Winter said.

The latest opinion poll, conducted in May by EMRS, showed Labor ahead of the Liberals for the first time in many years, but only just: 31 per cent to 29 per cent, with independents on 17 per cent, the Greens 14 per cent, and JLN 6 per cent.

Mr Winter said any crossbenchers failing to support his motion would be telling Tasmanians “they are happy to go along with his agenda – all the debt, all the cuts and all the privatisation”.

“They will show Tasmanians that a vote for anyone except Labor is a vote for the Liberals,” Mr Winter said.

“And they can rest assured we will let Tasmanians know exactly who is propping up this failed, incompetent and reckless minority Liberal government.”