Tasmanian Treasurer Michael Ferguson under threat after key MP David O’Byrne backs no-confidence vote

Tasmania’s Liberal government is in crisis, with a majority of MPs no longer having confidence in the deputy premier and treasurer ahead of a vote that could end his career.

Treasurer Michael Ferguson. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Tasmania’s Liberal government is in crisis, with a majority of MPs no longer having confidence in the Deputy Premier and Treasurer ahead of a vote that could end his career.

Michael Ferguson’s position as the second most senior MP in Tasmania’s minority government is in serious doubt, with independent MP David O’Byrne announcing his support for a no-confidence motion.

Mr O’Byrne told Premier Jeremy Rockliff he no longer had confidence in Mr Ferguson over his handling of Spirit of Tasmania ferry acquisitions and a bungled wharf project.

“His lack of transparency, oversight and action over the last few years and his actions over the last few months amounts to a reprehensible failure of policy and governance,” Mr O’Byrne said.

“To that end, I have today informed the Premier I have lost confidence in Michael Ferguson continuing to be a member of his cabinet.”

Mr O’Byrne’s stance means Labor has the numbers to pass a motion of no-confidence in Mr Ferguson in the House of ­Assembly, which sits again on Tuesday.

With Labor and the Greens, as well as crossbenchers Kristie Johnston and Andrew Jenner, there would appear to be 18 votes out of 35 – a majority – in favour of a no-confidence motion in the Treasurer.

By convention, that would force Mr Ferguson’s resignation from the frontbench or his sacking by Mr Rockliff.

Mr Ferguson did not comment, while Mr Rockliff said Mr Ferguson had his “full support”.

Senior minister Eric Abetz suggested the government might ignore a no-confidence motion, saying the Deputy Premier had the “full support of his colleagues” and the motion was not legally binding.

“The motion of no-confidence is a political stunt and is legally of no consequence,” Mr Abetz said. “Even if a motion of no-confidence were to be passed in him … there will be no need for Mr Ferguson to resign and I would encourage him not to resign.”

This would risk a far deeper crisis of confidence in the minority government, both inside the parliament and among the public, and could trigger an early election less than seven months after the last.

Labor leader Dean Winter accused Mr Abetz of “cheerleading an assault on the Westminster tradition”.

“It shows how desperate the Rockliff government has become,” he said, suggesting Mr Ferguson’s 10-year frontbench career was over and the government was in turmoil.

“After 10 years of the Liberals, the wheels have truly fallen off Jeremy Rockliff’s minority government,” Mr Winter said. “I’m pleased the crossbench has agreed with Labor’s position.”

Mr Ferguson, as the shareholder minister responsible for the state-owned ferry and port companies, has presided over a farcical situation where two new ferries have no adequate wharf at which to dock.

Mr O’Byrne, a former Labor leader before sitting as an independent, said his supply and confidence agreement with the government allowed him to withdraw support in the case of “gross incompetence”.

“This sorry episode will not only cost Tasmanians close to $100m directly but will also cost our state … in excess of half a billion dollars of economic activity,” he said.