‘Greatest Premier ever’: Liberal president
UPDATED: Liberal Party colleagues and stakeholders have reacted with sadness and respect to the news Will Hodgman will resign as 45th Premier of Tasmania.
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THE decision of Will Hodgman to resign as Premier of Tasmania has been met with sadness with one calling him “one of the greatest and most successful ever Premiers of Tasmania”.
PREMIER WILL HODGMAN ANNOUNCES HE IS STEPPING DOWN
Liberal Senator and Assistant Minister for Forestry, Fisheries and Regional Tourism Jonno Duniam acknowledged Premier Will Hodgman for his tremendous contribution as leader of a government and a political party that has achieved so much for Tasmania.
“His record in office speaks for itself, having led Tasmania through a time of unprecedented economic and cultural growth that has improved the lives of all Tasmanians.
“Having served as Will’s Deputy Chief of Staff in Opposition and in Government, I know the tremendous man he is and the energy and commitment he had in serving the people of Tasmania since his election in 2002.
“Leading the Liberals to an emphatic victory in 2014 and returning a majority Liberal Government for a historic second term, and with a huge record of delivery, Will leaves a legacy that all Tasmanians can be proud of.”
Liberal Party of Tasmania president Rod Scurrah praised Mr Hodgman and his service to Tasmania.
“Will Hodgman will go down in history as one of the greatest and most successful ever Premiers of Tasmania,” he said.
“We recognise and pay tribute to his significant service to our Party and our State over eighteen years as a Member of the House of Assembly, fourteen of those as the longest-serving State Liberal Leader and the last six years as Premier of Tasmania.
“His immense, positive legacy will be long-lasting.”
As Opposition Leader, Will firstly led the resurgence of the Liberal Party and then as Premier he importantly presided over the economic resurgence of Tasmania.
His Government has restored pride in Tasmania and what it means to be Tasmanian, and given our state a sense of confidence it hadn’t enjoyed for decades.”
WILL HODGMAN RESIGNATION: WHO WILL REPLACE THE PREMIER
Mr Scurrah said the 2018 election victory was significant as it was the first time since the 1970s that any political party surpassed 50 per cent of the primary vote in consecutive elections and the first time in over one hundred years that a conservative party achieved that result.”
Former Tasmanian Liberal Premier Tony Rundle, who was in the top job between 1996 and 1998, said:
“Tasmanians will miss Will Hodgman’s wise and effective leadership.
“His Government has catapulted the state to a pre-eminent place in the nation, and Will Hodgman has stamped himself as an exceptional political figure.”
MPS REACT TO HODGMAN SHOCK PLAN TO RESIGN
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania CEO Luke Martin said:
“Without doubt Will Hodgman has been the most consequential and outstanding State tourism minister in Australia over the past decade,” he said.
“Will’s legacy to our industry is that he restored tourism and our visitor economy right at the very centre of Government policy and industry strategy in Tasmania, for really the first time since Jim Bacon twenty years-ago.
“Premier Hodgman has been an outstanding champion of our tourism industry within his government and the Tasmanian community, as well as interstate and overseas. Indeed, we have been the envy of other State tourism industries in firstly having the Premier as Minister for Tourism, but also a Premier who clearly loves the industry and is proud of what it represents for his State.
“In Government, Premier Hodgman’s record includes restoring cuts to the Tourism Tasmania destination marketing budget, and establishing a Premier’s Visitor Economy Advisory Council to bring all agencies of government together to drive our visitor economy as a whole of government initiative.
ANALYSIS: WHY TASMANIAN PREMIER WILL HODGMAN RESIGNED
“He secured record amounts of funding for visitor infrastructure in our National Parks, including the single largest public visitor infrastructure project currently underway anywhere in Australia right now at Cradle Mountain, along with committing to develop the next iconic walk on the West Coast.
“He supported bringing Mona Foma to Launceston, and stood up for artistic license at Dark Mofo, that has helped make that event such an important part of our winter events calendar.
“Will’s passion and commitment to our industry was clear to all in the industry. He memorably flew up and back to Adelaide and Darwin for barely 24 hours to attend Australian Tourism Awards Galas, and only a few weeks ago before Christmas spent hours in industry workshops in Northern Tasmania listening to local industry stakeholders shape their vision for tourism over the next decade.”
Tasmanian LGBTIQ community advocates have praised Mr Hodgman, saying they hope the outgoing Premier’s successor will also support LGBTIQ equality and inclusion.
Mr Hodgman gave his party a conscience vote on a number of LGBTIQ issues including same-sex parenting laws (which he voted for), and was a strong supporter of marriage equality.
Equality Tasmania spokesperson Rodney Croome said:
“Will Hodgman is the kind of leader the Liberal Party needs more of, compassionate, inclusive, willing to listen to those who are disadvantaged and willing to stand up for equality.”
“We didn’t always agree, including on hate speech laws and transgender equality, but we were able to disagree in a way that was respectful.”
FEDERAL MPS REACT TO HODGMAN’S RESIGNATION
As well as supporting legislative reforms, Will Hodgman was the first Australian Liberal leader to apologise for former laws criminalising homosexuality and the first Tasmanian Premier to convene an LGBTIQ government policy group.
Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief Michael Bailey congratulated Mr Hodgman on his premiership of Tasmania.
“Will Hodgman’s announcement of his resignation as Premier, effective immediately, has come as a great shock,” Mr Bailey said.
“Mr Hodgman ranked his Government’s achievements in education as his proudest, but the TCCI would also like to acknowledge and applaud the confidence and leadership he gave the Tasmanian business community.”
Mr Bailey said the TCCI looks forward to working with the next Premier of Tasmania.
Liberal Senator for Tasmania Wendy Askew thanked outgoing Premier Will Hodgman for his leadership and service.
“I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Will Hodgman over many years and have always valued his counsel and support,” Senator Askew said.
“Will has been a longstanding member of the Tasmanian Parliament, and since becoming Premier the state has grown in numbers and standing on the national and international stage.
Executive Director of Master Builders Tasmania Matthew Pollock said:
“Under the watch of the Hodgman Government the Building and Construction Industry and has experienced unprecedented growth, is the strongest market for construction in the country, and continues to play a critical role in the growing strength of the Tasmanian economy.
“We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Government in whatever form it takes to meet the growing demands of the Tasmanian community.”
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