Tasmania state election: Labor’s final pitch; Economist Saul Eslake lashes parties over ‘contempt’ for voters; Premier Jeremy Rockliff confident

Labor Leader Rebecca White says a vote for minor parties or independents means the Liberals could get back in. Rolling campaign coverage >>

Labor leader Rebecca White has made her last pitch to voters ahead of the state election, arguing a vote for independents or minor parties is effectively a vote for the Liberals.

Labor’s campaign ended where it began, in the Hobart-based seat of Clark.

Meeting with candidates and supporters in the Elizabeth St Mall, Ms White urged Tasmanians who were sick of the Liberals to vote Labor.

“A vote for an independent or a Green or a minor party could still see the return of a Liberal Government. Because each of those independents and minor parties have said if they are asked they will support the Liberal Party if it helps them to form government,” she said.

Rebecca White with baby Mavis Perry, 3 months. The Labor Leader was in the Elizabeth Street Mall on the final day of the 2024 election campaign ahead of polling day. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Amid confusion over Labor’s stance on the Macquarie Point stadium, Ms White said Tasmanians had other priorities.

“The majority of people I talk to are sick of talking about a stadium. They want a government that’s focused on getting the basics right,” she said.

Polls indicate neither major party is on track to win a majority, with Labor trailing the Liberals.

Greens leader says party will be back with more seats

Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said she felt positive about election day as the party made its final bid to voters on Friday.Meanwhile she’s denied any knowledge of a protester who crashed a Liberal press conference.

On the last day of campaigning, Dr Woodruff said she believed the Greens would be back in parliament with more sway.

“I feel really positive about this election … We’re looking forward to going back with stronger numbers,” she said.

“In a balance of power we will be fighting very hard to ensure the stadium doesn’t get built, we really tax big corporationsso they pay their fair share and put that money into the critical services Tasmanians are telling us they want.

Rosalie Woodruff and Greens candidates on the final day of campaigning. Image: Tasmanian Greens.

“Throughout this election campaign, I’ve personally spoken to an elderly woman who waited 7 hours on the ramp at the RHH,a homeless man who was living in a caravan, a woman who was struggling to find housing escaping family violence.

“These are stories of everyday Tasmanians. people who are struggling with the cost of living, people who are spending theirdays deeply concerned about inaction on climate and people who love Tasmania’s beautiful forests.”

Dr Woodruff said the environment was high on the agenda for many Tasmanians.

“The major parties have not had the environment on their agenda at all,” she said.

“When both Liberal and Labor politicians are looking at going to continue native forest logging and burning until 2040 ina climate emergency, it tells you everything.

“Neither Labor or Liberal politicians are concerned at all about the environment.”

Dr Woodruff was also questioned about a member of the public, who crashed the Liberal Leader’s final campaign press conference,and whether she was a member of the Greens.

“I can personally say I don’t know,” Dr Woodruff said.

The protester questioned the Liberal’s health policies, something Ms Woodruff said others were worried about.

“I have heard these concerns raised by so many people since the liberals made the announcement they were going to ban ambulanceramping,” she said.

“It’s a three word slogan it’s not a real response to the health crisis.”

Economist lashes major parties over costings

Leading Tasmanian economist Saul Eslake has accused the major parties of displaying “contempt” by only revealing their election costings days before the poll when thousands have already voted.

The Liberals outlined their costings on Wednesday and Labor on Thursday.

Mr Eslake said about 90,000 Tasmanians had already voted and they were entitled to know how much the parties’ promises would cost before they voted.

Economist Saul Eslake at Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

“Both major parties have displayed egregious contempt for the electorate in holding back these costings until the last 48 hours of the election campaign, after a significant proportion of voters will have already cast early or postal ballots,” he said.

“In that sense, it’s little wonder that – according to opinion polls – voters are turning off the major parties in record numbers.

“It staggers me that the Liberals would take on $1.4bn of additional debt, as they did at each of the past two elections, according to State Treasury.

“And what does Labor mean when it says it will be ‘reprofiling’ projects or ‘replacing failed Liberal policies’?

“Voters are entitled to know that.”

In an assessment of the costings, Mr Eslake said the Liberals had not offered any offsets to their $1.41bn of new spending over the four years to 2026-27 apart from $33m from the proposed short-stay levy.

“Their policies will thus result in the fiscal deficit over the four years to 2026-27 increasing from $3.1bn as per PEFO to $4.5bn,” he said.

“Labor says that its election commitments will cost $1.7bn over the four years to 2026-27.

“However they also claim that they will more than offset the impact of these commitments on the budget bottom line by finding ‘savings and offsets’ totalling $2.1bn over the four years to 2026-27.

“If this is to be believed, and a Labor Government were able to

implement all these ‘savings and offsets’, the cumulative fiscal deficit

over the four years to 2026-27 would decline from the $3.1bn forecast in PEFO to $2.7bn.”

Mr Eslake said while some of Labor’s savings and offsets looked “fanciful”, they have at least recognised that “the cost of their spending commitments does need to be offset if Tasmania’s fiscal position is not to deteriorate materially further”.

Confident Premier outlines 100 day plan, betting odds revealed

Premier Jeremy Rockliff remains confident as Tasmania heads to the polls tomorrow, pledging what the first 100 days would look like if the Liberals are re-elected.

Mr Rockliff said the Liberals would ‘waste no time’ following being sworn in.

“We have campaigned this election on restoring certainty and stability, and we are the only party with a very clear plan for Tasmania,” Mr Rockliff said.

“Our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future is all about focusing on the issues that matter to Tasmanians, such as cost-of-living relief, health, and housing.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson release the Liberals First 100 Days plan at the Cataract Gorge in Launceston. Picture: Stephanie Dalton

“This First 100 Days Plan is all about ensuring we have a clear direction during those 100 days.”

Despite his confidence, the Premier said that tomorrow’s election is a critical choice for Tasmanians and that “Tasmanians should not assume that the Liberals will be re-elected”.

Polling obtained by the Mercury shows votes for the major parties will collapse in the election.

The Liberal’s position in power has even led to Sportsbet asking punters whether the Tasmanian Liberal Party will be sworn in government at the March 2024 election.

The Liberals sit at $1.08 odds of retaining the top spot at the time of publication.

“This is really crunch time,” Mr Rockliff said.

“I can confidently say the Liberal Party is the only party that can and will deliver a majority government tomorrow at the election.

“But we must never assume we will be in government. In 1989, Liberal Premier Robin Gray secured 47 per cent of the vote and 17 seats. But Labor did a deal with the Greens.

“And in 2010, they did again. So, let’s not kid ourselves. Labor will absolutely do a deal with the Greens, the Lambies, and whoever else they can find.”