Former Labor leader says party gave up fight too soon after election result

Independent MP David O’Byrne reveals his reaction to Labor flying a ‘white flag’ of defeat so soon after the state election. Meanwhile, Labor fire a warning on the JLN.

Independent MP David O’Byrne says he is surprised how quickly Labor “flew the white flag” after the March 23 state election.

On election night, leader Rebecca White appeared to leave open the possibility the party might seek to form a minority government in coalition with other parties.

That position was reversed the following day and Labor accepted the loss.

David O'Byrne who will be a member of parliament as the Independent member for Franklin for the first time. Declaration of the polls after the 2024 state election. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Mr O’Byrne said he was surprised his former party lost the will to fight so fast.

“I must admit, I was surprised at how quickly the white flag was flown, because there’s a whole range of negotiations that we all know happen in minority Hare-Clark environments, where the orders of the day, the functions of the house and some key issues where you’re negotiating, and it’s all about leveraging those negotiations,” he said.

“The Labor Party dealt themselves out of that.”

Mr O’Byrne was asked if he took any satisfaction from proving those who opposed him wrong.

“The satisfaction is being able to continue the job that I love doing, and that’s representing the people of Franklin,” he said.

Also on Tuesday, Labor’s Ella Haddad pondered how long the Jacqui Lambie Network MPs would remain in the party.

“I’m not going to personally attack those three individuals, but I do think that Tasmanians were right to be really disappointed and a bit bemused by the Jacqui Lambie Network campaign in the state election,” she said.

Labor member for Clark Ella Haddad speaks to the media on Parliament Lawns in Hobart on Tuesday, April 9, 2024.

“We don’t know where they stand on the major issues affecting Tasmania’s economy and the Tasmanian people.

‘Who knows how long they’re even going to stick around in the Jacqui Lambie Network, because as we’ve seen Tammy Tyrrell has walked away after less than two years in the Senate.

“They’re a bit of a disparate bunch and I think Tasmanians are right to be really concerned about the fact that, that they’ve been elected off the back of no policies, no positions, who knows where they’re going to stand on these big issues affecting Tasmania?”.