Winter refuses election defeat, in talks with crossbench to form government

Labor leader Dean Winter has refused to concede defeat in Saturday’s election and says he’s in talks with the crossbench to form government if the Liberals can’t. The latest from politics.

Labor leader Dean Winter at Drysdale Place. Picture: Caroline Tan

Labor leader Dean Winter has refused to concede defeat in Saturday’s election and says he’s in talks with the crossbench to form government if the Liberals can’t.

Mr Winter fronted the media at Bell Bay on Thursday, just hours after Premier Jeremy Rockliff accused him of going to ground.

Both major parties appear on track to secure around the same number of seats in the next parliament as in the last: 14 for the Liberals and 10 for Labor.

The count is continuing, with a result expected next week.

Labor leader Dean Winter at Drysdale Place. Picture: Caroline Tan

Mr Winter said the Liberals had won the most seats, so it was up to them to try to make things work.

“The first opportunity to form a government is for Jeremy Rockliff,” he said.

“He’s won 14 seats and he needs to secure four additional seats.

“He has the first opportunity here but no Tasmanian wants another early election and in the event that he can’t secure 18 votes on the floor of the house, there’s going to need to be people working across the parliament together.

“The Premier has opened his discussions with the crossbench. I’ve opened my discussions with the crossbench.

Tasmania State Election 2025 Liberal Leader Jeremy Rockliff at Hobart Grand Chancellor tally room. Picture: Caroline Tan

Mr Winter said he had spoken to the Greens but has continued to rule out a deal or any compromise on Labor’s policy positions.

“Let me be clear about this, Tasmanian Labor won’t be compromising on any of our beliefs. “We support native forestry, we support aquaculture, we support mining, we support traditional industries.

“We’re not compromising on our beliefs as part of anything. We’re not going to sacrifice those things we believe in to get to government.

“I’m not asking anyone to compromise on their values or beliefs. I’m asking people to work together.

“The Greens will make their own decisions about what they do and they’ll do that on the basis of who they think is best placed to form government,” he said.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff told ABC radio he suspected Labor was working on a deal to snatch power with the support of the Greens.

“Dean Winter and the Labor Party have completely gone to ground. No one knows about the secret dealings with the Tasmanian Greens,” he said.

“He said he would not do a deal with the Greens. He can only be in government with a deal with the Greens.

Re-elected Premier Jeremy Rockliff addresses the media with newly elected Bass MP Bridget Archer following the Tasmanian State Election 2025. Picture: PATRICK GEE

“Let me tell you that if Dean Winter becomes Premier with the support of the Greens there’s going to be a massive nudge and a massive wink, someone will pay.

“And if I was in a traditional industry right now, or indeed, if I was a recreational hunter or a fisher right now or a farmer right now, I’d be very worried about what Dean winter is doing behind the scenes.

Mr Rockliff said he was hopeful that the new parliament would be more collaborative than the last on turned out to be.

Saturday’s election was precipitated by a no-confidence motion in his premiership.

“People want maturity,” Mr Rockliff said. “Everyone, I hope, has learned something over the course of the last six weeks, and Tasmanians particularly want to ensure that we have a stable government, a stable parliament, one where we debate ideas enthusiastically, of course and with passion.

“But the political games really is a no-no. Tasmanians have rejected the political games.”

Originally published as Winter refuses election defeat, in talks with crossbench to form government