‘Enormous honour’: David O’Byrne announced as next Tas Labor Party leader over Shane Broad
David O’Byrne has been elected as the new Tasmanian Labor Leader in the first contest for the leadership of the Tasmanian Labor Party in a generation. UPDATES >>
Tasmania
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David O’Byrne has been elected as the new Tasmanian Labor Leader in a historic first state-level ballot for the role in a generation.
Rank and file Labor members voted up until 5pm on Tuesday between candidates Mr O’Byrne and Shane Broad to take over from Rebecca White’s former job, with Mr O’Byrne raking in 74 per cent of the votes.
The Member for Franklin posted on Facebook to say his election was an “enormous honour and responsibility”.
“I have spent my entire working life fighting to make a positive difference in lives of others and I will continue that work in this most important of roles,” his post read.
“Labor at our best builds a stronger future and leaves nobody behind.”
Mr O’Byrne thanked the party members, family, friends and colleagues who supported him.
“To Rebecca White, thank you for your leadership and support and Shane Broad for contesting the ballot and ensuring that there is healthy debate and cooperative competition inside our party,” his post read.
“I commit to work hard every day, in building unity and clarity of purpose in our party and Parliamentary Labor team, a team brimming with talent and passion, full of people that are focused on a brighter and prosperous future for our state.”
“The works starts now and I ask that you join with us on this journey.”
Member for Braddon Mr Broad shared his congratulations with Mr O’Byrne both personally and publicly on Facebook.
“(I) want him to succeed as leader,” his post read.
“I’ll be a team player getting on with the task of winning the next election.”
Labor State Secretary Stuart Benson congratulated Mr O’Byrne and applauded the election process.
“This ballot allowed the vast majority of Party members the opportunity to vote in a historic democratic process,” Mr Benson said.
“That’s part of Labor’s proud history of allowing members a say in their Party’s decision making.”
Mr Benson said the election heralded a “new era” for the party, which had suffered from internal factional disconnect in recent years.
He said the ballot was conducted in accordance with Rule 16.4c allowing voting Labor members to directly engage with both candidates.
But Premier Peter Gutwein said the “deeply divisive” new Labor Leader would fuel “chaos” in the party.
“Labor’s dysfunction and identity crisis have been publicly slammed by three former Labor leaders, and with Mr O’Byrne beholden to Labor’s hard left factional powerbrokers, nothing changes – it’s the same old Labor," he said.
“As a wholly owned subsidiary of the unions, Mr O’Byrne should explain what deals he has done with Labor’s Admin Committee and the union bosses to become leader.”
D-Day for Labor as pair vie for top job
Tuesday June 15, 2.21pm
LABOR’S David O’Byrne and Shane Broad will today find out who will become the leader of the opposition in the first contest for the leadership of the Tasmanian Labor Party in a generation.
Around 1000 members of the party have until 5pm today to get their votes in.
The leadership ballot was called after Rebecca White stepped down after defeat in the May 1 state election.
Anita Dow was elected unopposed as deputy leader and has served as acting leader in the interim.
A result in the leadership ballot is expected by 7pm Tuesday night.
Mr O’Byrne, from the party’s dominant left faction is favoured to win.
He has long had the backing of key unions including the Health and Community Services Union and United Workers Union.
The 52-year-old first entered parliament in 2009 and served in ministerial roles in the Bartlett and Giddings governments. He lost his seat in 2014, but we re-elected in 2018.
Dr Broad is not aligned with any faction and started his campaign by decrying the “hard left factional powerbrokers” for the ongoing problems in the party which saw factional infighting dominated the early party of the election campaign.
The 46-year-old member for Braddon entered parliament on a recount in 2017.
Under changes to Labor rules agreed in 2018, the ballot be conducted of parliamentary members and rank and file members via online and postal voting.
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