Just a week out from a parliamentary deadline, both Labor and Greens sticking to their guns

Australia Broadcast Center

a day ago

During every AFL trade week, there are a couple of deals that go down to the wire.
One club boss insists their player is so skilled that there's no way they'll be traded, at least unless they get a bounty of draft picks or some good players in exchange.
The other club boss says they value the player but can't pay the king's ransom being demanded.
Occasionally, the gulf between the teams is so great that no deal can be struck. Other times, one club caves and pays too much, or accepts below-market value for their prized player.
But mostly, after weeks of posturing and chest beating, both clubs agree to meet somewhere in the middle, usually right before the trade deadline.
Tasmanian politics is in its own trade week era — and at the moment, the protracted negotiations are between Labor and the Greens.
Labor needs the Greens to agree to their motion of no-confidence in Premier Jeremy Rockliff's government, and provide confidence in a Labor minority government.
In return, the Greens want Labor to throw some policy concessions their way. Maybe start with matching the Liberals' ban on greyhound racing and go from there.
So far, there has been the same amount of bluster you'd expect from AFL trade week.
Labor insists it won't do a deal with the Greens, it won't compromise on its values and doesn't expect those it is negotiating with to do so either.
But if it forms government, it will consider each idea for policy change on its merits, through a "sensible policy framework".
Labor has mostly opted for the "greater good" argument — that the mostly progressive crossbench would be better off under a Labor Party that independents and Greens share some core values with, such as integrity, fixing the budget, health and housing.
It's asking whether the crossbench really wants to leave the Liberals, and new Treasurer Eric Abetz, in charge of the state's finances. Especially when it could have Labor and its would-be treasurer, respected independent MLC Ruth Forrest.
And whether the Greens really want to trust a premier that it voted no-confidence in just two months ago.
The Greens so far have told Labor Leader Dean Winter to buzz off, and to come back when he's serious.
Greens Leader Rosalie Woodruff drew a big line in the sand on Tuesday.
Unless Labor offers up more than it is at the moment, she said the Greens cannot support Mr Winter as premier.
Dr Woodruff reeled off a range of policies she would like movement on: ditching the proposed Macquarie Point AFL stadium, stronger environmental laws, and increasing the royalties paid by the salmon and mining industries to repair the budget.
And in a classic trade-week manoeuvre, she pointed out Labor's weakened bargaining hand — that the guy doing the negotiating failed to win a quota in his own right in the seat of Franklin, while his party suffered a 3.1 per cent swing against it.
And that while Labor doesn't need every individual crossbencher on board, it cannot form government without the Greens.
The Greens also have the benefit of time.
They can reject Mr Winter's bid for power now, tell their supporters they've extracted a greyhound racing ban from a Liberal party that just a month ago was telling the industry how valued it was, and will consider a further no-confidence motion in Mr Rockliff if he doesn't do what he has promised or makes decisions that outrage them.
They know Labor are likely to come back and want to form government if they're unsuccessful this time.
But if the Greens vote for Mr Winter to become premier now, they know it will lead to a partnership that will be awfully hard to end.
The Greens see they're giving Mr Winter a blank cheque to govern if they side with him this time.
And Dr Woodruff continues to argue the party will not do that without claiming some prized assets in return.
We're fairly and squarely in the chest-beating part of trade week. A week out from deadline, both parties are sticking to their guns.
But which end scenario will play out on Tuesday when parliament resumes?
Will the Greens and Labor remain so far apart that neither bends — and Mr Rockliff remains premier?
Will Labor concede enough that the deal becomes palatable to the Greens?
Or will the Greens decide that when push comes to shove, they would prefer the Labor Party in charge over Mr Rockliff?
After all, Dr Woodruff used her election night speech to point out the Greens have much more in common with Labor than the Liberals.
With five days until deadline day, there's still plenty to play out.
And while the Greens have displayed a willingness to return to the negotiating table, Dr Woodruff put plenty of caveats on her lack of support, starting every sentence with a "for now", or "at this stage".
The scene is set for a tense and highly anticipated return of the state parliament.
And despite all the bluster, every possible scenario remains on the table.