Tasmania Liberals secure majority government

Tasmania has a majority Liberal government, after preference counting delivered the party a crucial 13th seat — thanks to a former Labor MP.

The re-election of Madeleine Ogilvie — a Labor MP and independent — as a Liberal in the seat of Clark secures Premier Peter Gutwein a majority government. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Tasmania has a majority Liberal government after a nailbiting preference count delivered the party a crucial 13th seat — thanks to a former Labor MP.

Madeleine Ogilvie, a former Labor and independent MP who joined the Liberals at the start of the election campaign, late on Wednesday secured her seat in the Hobart-based division of Clark.

Her win, effectively at the ­expense of Liberal-turned-independent Sue Hickey, means the Liberals have 13 seats in the 25-seat House of Assembly and will govern in majority.

The outcome was hailed by Liberal Premier Peter Gutwein, whose gamble of an early May 1 election finally and narrowly paid off after a tense wait for postal votes and preference distribution.

“The election result has confirmed Tasmanians have voted for the stability and certainty that only a majority Liberal government can provide, at a time when Tasmania needs it most,” Mr Gutwein said.

 “We have laid out a clear plan to secure Tasmania’s future, and I thank Tasmanians for showing faith in my government and providing me the privilege of being your Premier. I will not let you down.”

It is the first time the Liberal Party has secured a third consecutive term of majority government in the state, where the Hare Clark proportional representation system makes majorities difficult to secure.

However, the Liberals have ended essentially where they started: with a one-seat ­majority.

Mr Gutwein, who took the reins of power in January 2020, had vowed to resign if the Liberals were stranded on 12 seats, shy of a majority.

Instead, his leadership has been endorsed by the electorate, bolstering his position within the party and more broadly, and he will now consider the make-up of his new cabinet.

The outcome ends the short political career of Ms Hickey, ­although the former Hobart lord mayor has given her former party a significant electoral scare.

Ms Hickey was elected as a Liberal in 2018, but fell out with the party after voting with Labor and the Greens to make herself ­speaker, as well as over her independent approach to policy and legislation.

The win for Ms Ogilvie completes her political transition from a socially conservative Labor MP who clashed with the party’s left, to independent, and now Liberal.

“I am humbled to have been elected as the second Liberal in Clark and 13th Liberal statewide, helping to deliver a majority to the Gutwein government,” Ms Ogilvie said on Wednesday night.

Elected as a Labor MP in 2014, Ms Ogilvie lost her seat at the 2018 election, but returned on a ­vacancy recount in 2019, opting to sit as an independent.

With Ms Hickey crossing the floor to vote with the opposition parties on several occasions, Ms Ogilvie often voted with the Liberals and pledged confidence and supply, establishing a good working relationship with Mr Gutwein. Clark voters have made history by electing women to all five of the division’s seats: Ms Ogilvie and fellow Liberal Elise Archer, the Greens’ Cassy O’Connor, Labor’s Ella Haddad, and independent Kristie Johnston.

Dr Bonham said it was the first time a division had returned all-­female MPs at an election.

Tasmania’s five electoral divisions each elect five MPs to the Assembly.