Bryan Green resigns as Tasmanian Labor Leader, with Rebecca White named as his replacement
ROLLING UPDATES: TASMANIA’S new Labor Opposition Leader Rebecca White has called for family-friendly changes to State Parliament. WATCH THE VIDEOS
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UPDATE, 3.45pm: TASMANIA’S new Labor Opposition Leader Rebecca White has called for family-friendly changes to State Parliament.
The second-term Hobart MP, who had a baby girl in mid-2016, said she’s confident of being able to juggle her parenting and political roles.
But she fears other women have been scared off public life.
“We don’t want to have people feeling they are compromising their family in order to stand for election in Tasmania, and I do worry that is sometimes the case, especially for women,” Ms White told reporters on her first day in the party’s top job.
Former party head Bryan Green resigned overnight at a meeting which followed a marathon sitting of the state’s Lower House, ending past 3am.
“It’s very difficult when you’re sitting until 3.30 in the morning to then look after the responsibilities of caring for a child,” Ms White said.
“We do need to be making sure that we improve the functions of the parliament to ensure people feel they are encouraged to participate in the political process.”
The public-school educated 34-year-old, who claims no family ties to the ALP or unions, is likely to boost the party’s approval ratings.
“I don’t see myself to be any different from any other working mum,” she said.
“I feel very strongly that I have an obligation to provide the best role model I can for my daughter.”
Michelle O’Byrne remains deputy leader of Tasmanian Labor.
The party is accustomed to having women in high roles, boasting the state’s first female premier in Lara Giddings, who led a Labor-Greens coalition.
Ahead of a scheduled 2018 election, Ms White said it was Labor’s aim to provide majority government.
— AAP
UPDATE, 1.45pm: POLLING analyst Kevin Bonham says Rebecca White replacing Bryan Green as Labor leader in Tasmania has given the State Opposition a chance of forming government outright in the next election.
In the latest EMRS poll released earlier this month, support for the Liberals was at 35 per cent, Labor 29 per cent and the Greens 19 per cent.
If replicated at an election, the poll would result in a hung parliament.
But Dr Bonham said Ms White stepping into the leadership role could give Labor a massive boost.
“In terms of a possible push for outright [government], they should not be ruled out,” he said.
“They would need a big swing but in recent state elections around Australia we have seen big swings.
“I think it was necessary to change leaders. It was a forced move. They cannot go and win with Bryan Green as leader. Rebecca White gives them a better chance.”
Mr Green, who said he would visit the Governor today to retire, said the recent poll which put Labor within striking distance of the Liberals helped him to make his decision.
I think it was necessary to change leaders. Rebecca White gives them a better chance.
“When I saw just how close we are from the point of view of seats, I knew if I retired from politics that would give us the opportunity to actually win the next election. We are so fortunate to have someone of the calibre of Rebecca White to take us forward,” he said.
“She will further unite the party, she will draw fresh candidates to the party.”
UPDATE, 12.45pm: TASMANIAN Premier Will Hodgman has again quashed talk of an early election following the change in the Labor leadership.
New Labor Leader Rebecca White says she is well and truly ready to take the reins and take it up to the Liberals at the next state election.
However she also faces the daunting task of providing an alternative to Tasmania’s popular Liberal Premier Will Hodgman.
Officiating at a Ten Days on the Island launch at Kingston, Mr Hodgman today shrugged off any suggestion the leadership change would make life harder for the Liberals at the ballot box.
“No matter what they do, they change the leader doesn’t change the fact they’ve got no plan, they’ve got no policies, what’s happened here too clearly is another example of a Labor party being governed by unions,” he said.
“Our focus is on the year ahead. We’ve got a year of governing to do.”
Ms White, 34, of Orielton in south-east Tasmania, was unanimously appointed leader during a parliamentary party meeting in the early hours of this morning, following a marathon sitting of parliament devoted to the Liberals’ forestry legislation..
Ms White said she was honoured to be chosen as leader.
“I’m just an ordinary person, who grew up on a farm and went to a public school ... I’m no different to anyone else, That’s one of the wonderful things about the Labor party it allows people like myself to progress to become the leader,” she said.
“I didn’t come up ... through a political family or though the union movement, I joined this party because .. I believe in the values of the Labor Party, a fair go for everybody, the values of equality and values of justice and it’s the party I think best represents what Tasmanians wants to see for our state.”
Ms White said she believed Labor could beat the Liberals and win a majority.
“I feel this government is on the ropes, I feel there is an election just around the corner now and we are ready to take them on,” she said.
“We have a fantastic team around us at the moment both within the caucus and outside the caucus, and we are keen and ready to get on with the job of providing Tasmanians with a really exciting opportunity to look to the Labor party and look to a party that’s going to stand up for them and provide them with future they want for the state.”
Ms White has long been considered the favourite to take over from Mr Green.
ReachTEL polling commissioned by the Mercury last year put Ms White as preferred leader by a significant margin, ahead of Scott Bacon, Lara Giddings and Mr Green.
MORE: WHO TASMANIANS THINK SHOULD LEAD THE LABOR PARTY
She paid tribute to “wonderful mentors” in the party including Mr Green and former Premier Lara Giddings.
Ms White was first elected as Lyons MP in 2010.
UPDATE, 12.15pm: TASMANIA’S Labor Opposition Leader Bryan Green has confirmed his retirement from politics and second-term MP Rebecca White has been elected unopposed as his replacement.
The changes were announced today in the run-up to the island state’s 2018 election, with the 34-year-old new mum expected to spark a surge in Labor’s approval rating.
“I made the decision off the back of the work that I’ve done and the position we’re in ... to retire, to step down from politics,” Mr Green said as he signed off on 19 years in politics and three as Labor leader.
He’s been under pressure since the resumption of parliament in March after an EMRS poll showed voter support for him as the alternative premier was just 20 per cent.
MORE: LIBS STEADY IN LATEST POLL
Incumbent and Liberal Will Hodgman holds a 52 per cent popularity rating.
Mr Green, who was charged with uniting the devastated Labor party after a resounding 2014 election loss, said the party had taken an important step toward renewal.
“We are strong, we are united, we are building a policy base that will take us to the next election — the issue for me was what do I need to do in the best interest of the party to allow us to win?”
He cited Saturday’s landslide Labor election victory in Western Australia as an example of what could happen in Tasmania and took a swipe at Liberal leaders at the state and federal levels.
“Western Australia is a good example of how you can go from relative obscurity to being the next government, the Northern Territory a good example as well,” Mr Green said.
“Malcolm Turnbull, in the same vein as Will Hodgman, doesn’t have the courage of his own convictions. We need leaders that do have that courage.”
Federal Opposition Bill Shorten today paid tribute to Mr Green, just a day after visiting Hobart.
“He has served the parliament in Tasmania and the government for 19 years,” Mr Shorten said in Canberra.
“Labor suffered a massive defeat at the last election. He came in to help restore the Labor Party’s fortunes.”
Ms White, a former party staffer, lacks the union ties of her predecessor that are so common amongst Labor MPs.
“I come from a country farm and one of the motivations I had for joining the political movement in the first place was the passion I felt about representing my community and being a voice for my community,” she said.
“I didn’t come up through the Labor movement, through a political family or through the union movement. I joined this party because I believe in the values of the Labor party.”
After taking time off mid-way through 2016 to have her first baby, Ms White resumed her role as opposition health spokeswoman.
She now faces a new challenge.
— AAP
EARLIER: BRYAN Green has been replaced as Tasmanian opposition leader, with second-term MP Rebecca White appointed the new head of the state Labor Party.
Visiting Tasmania today, federal Labor MP Mark Dreyfus confirmed the change in leadership overnight.
“Bryan has provided good service to Tasmania and we wish him well,” Mr Dreyfus told ABC Local Radio.
The leadership change comes ahead of the 2018 state election, and less than a fortnight after a poll showing just 20 per cent support for Mr Green as premier, compared to 52 per cent for the incumbent, Liberal Will Hodgman.
Ms White, 34, who took time off in mid-2016 to have her first child, was elected unopposed at a marathon party meeting overnight.
“I wish Rebecca well if she is to become the leader,” Mr Dreyfus said, adding that the party has to position itself to win government.
“What’s the best look going forward? Who can best lead the party into government?”
Mr Green’s departure comes just a day after federal Labor leader Bill Shorten visited Hobart, and voiced support for the former state organiser of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union.
— AAP
EARLIER: STATE Opposition leader Bryan Green is set to announce his retirement from state politics today, with Lyons MP Rebecca White to become leader.
It’s understood Mr Green told his parliamentary colleagues of his intentions in the early hours of this morning, following a marathon sitting of parliament.
Debate on the Liberals’ forestry legislation wrapped up at 3am today.
The move could put Labor within striking distance of the Liberals, who have suffered a slide in the polls while Labor’s numbers have improved.
MORE: EXPECTANT MP REBECCA WHITE MANAGES THE EXPECTATIONS
While Mr Green consistently polled low numbers in opinion polls as preferred premier, he was respected within the party for helping mend bridges after its annihilation at the 2014 state election.
Michelle O’Byrne will be deputy leader.
An announcement is expected this morning.
The move comes just a day after Federal Labor Leader Bill Shorten has backed Bryan Green to remain head of the Tasmanian party.
With a state election due next year, there have been rumblings from within the party that there might be a push for a change of leader, particularly if there is an early election.
There also have been calls for the party to resolve whether former premier Lara Giddings will run again, or will leave Parliament and effectively clear the way for David O’Byrne to make a return to state politics.
MORE: BRYAN GREEN’S TRIALS AND ERROR
Recent polls have given just 20 per cent support for Mr Green as premier, compared to 52 per cent for the incumbent Liberal Will Hodgman.
“My money is on Bryan Green to stand up for Tasmanians’ cost of living and jobs issues,” Mr Shorten said in Hobart yesterday.
MORE: BRYAN GREEN TO BE AT HELM FOR ELECTION
Commentators and politicians have reacted to the news on social media:
A day mixed with sadness - sad to see @BryanGreenMP retire. He was my rock as Deputy Premier. He is a good man and I wish him well.
— Lara Giddings (@LaraGiddings) March 16, 2017
Two women in the top jobs for @TasmanianLabor! An exciting and historic day for #politas. https://t.co/QAFAigK9Ju
— Angela Wilson (@ange_wilson) March 17, 2017
Congrats and best wishes to my friend @bec_white - watch out @WillHodgman! #politas
— Julie Collins (@JulieCollinsMP) March 17, 2017
Green the second long-term Tas Labor LOTO not to reach an election; Neil Batt was the first. #politas
— Kevin Bonham (@kevinbonham) March 16, 2017
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