Rebecca White to lead Labor into 2022 election despite horror poll
The Opposition Leader has been forced to affirm she will lead the Labor Party to the next election, in the wake of a horror poll result which saw her status as preferred premier plummet and support for the party plunge.
Tasmania
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OPPOSITION Leader Rebecca White has been forced to affirm she will lead the Labor Party to the next election, in the wake of a horror poll result which saw her status as preferred premier plummet and support for the party plunge.
The EMRS voter intentions poll of 1000 adult Tasmanians showed Premier Peter Gutwein’s continued surging popularity with 70 per cent of respondents preferring him as premier and only 23 per cent favouring Ms White.
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The figures are in stark comparison to March — before coronavirus hit the state — when Ms White was leading Mr Gutwein by two per cent on that measure under EMRS polling.
A Labor insider said the poll was a terrible result and the party had an uphill battle to make up sufficient ground.
Ms White confirmed she would lead Labor to the next state election, which is due to be held in March 2022.
“Yes I will. I’m very fortunate to have a very strong and experienced and committed team who are dedicated to improving the lives of Tasmanians,’’ she said.
“We are absolutely united and I look forward to contesting the next election because there are so many things that matter to so many Tasmanians that I believe the Labor Party can deliver in government.”
Senior Labor MP David O’Byrne, who has repeatedly been forced to deny his ambitions for the top job, backed Ms White in.
“Bec has my absolute support and she has the support of the entire PLP [parliamentary Labor Party],’’ he told the Mercury.
“She is the best person to lead Labor and she is the next Labor premier.”
Former senior Labor MPs also believe Ms White is the right person to lead the party, labelling talk of leadership rumblings as “unfounded rumours”.
“I hear no talk of it and I think I’m as well connected as anybody,’’ said former state and federal Labor MP Terry Aulich.
“It will be a great battle between Peter Gutwein and Rebecca White — we’re lucky as voters to have that option — and Rebecca White will make one of the best premiers we’ve ever had.”
Former Labor government Minister Julian Amos said the poll results showing high approval for Mr Gutwein were unsurprising, but said the election was not a lost cause for Labor.
“At the moment I would say it’s not winnable, but that can change very quickly,’’ he said.
Mr Amos said speculation about the Labor leadership was a “dead issue” and had “no substance”.
Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff would not be drawn on questions about the poll results, and said discussions about what it meant for the Opposition were for the Labor Party.
University of Tasmania academic and political expert Richard Herr said the state’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic had bolstered Mr Gutwein’s public standing and Ms White’s approval rating was in part a result of her bipartisan approach to support the government.
“Gutwein has translated himself from a hard man to being a leader in hard terms … it has allowed his strength to be seen as strengths,’’ he said.
“In the case of Rebecca White, her compassion and her capacity to care and be inclusive has been on full display.”
Greens leader Cassy O’Connor accused Labor of politicising the pandemic response and said the poll results reflected that.
“A defining characteristic of Labor under Rebecca White is that they don’t apparently stand for much, other than the politics of it all. This is very much on display in parliament,’’ she said.
“In the absence of Labor providing any community leadership or being an effective opposition, we’ve been happy to step up to the plate.
“The State Election is some way off so I’m not going to speculate on whether Labor can turn public perceptions around, but they’re tracking badly right now.”
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