Premier stands by stadium as early state election looms
A defiant Jeremy Rockliff has vowed to fight and win an early Tasmanian election, after political brinkmanship with Opposition Leader Dean Winter spiralled in parliament and produced a shock snap poll.
It's not yet clear when the election will fall, with Mr Rockliff seeking to convene parliament next week to pass an emergency budget bill.
Also caught up in the chaos is the billion-dollar Hobart waterfront stadium, and by extension the Tasmania Devils AFL team.
After two days of lengthy debate, Mr Rockliff lost a no-confidence motion in parliament on Thursday, which by convention demands his resignation.
Before the vote, he told Mr Winter, the Labor leader, that should the vote succeed, he would seek an election - just 15 months after the last state poll.
"Be that on Mr Winter's head. This has been a selfish grab for power," he said on Thursday morning.
Pointing to last month's budget - which forecast big deficits and ballooning debt beyond $10 billion - Mr Winter chose to stand behind his motion, unmoved by either public advocacy or behind-closed-doors efforts to talk him down.
"Tasmanians were aghast at the state of the budget," Mr Winter said.
"I can't stand by and let this premier ruin this state and so Tasmanian Labor needs to stand up."
The vote passed 18-17, with Labor, the Greens and three independents backing the motion, including a casting vote by Labor veteran Michelle O'Byrne as speaker.
Shell-shocked, Mr Rockliff then took the floor to deliver an emotion-laden speech.
"This is a very sad day for Tasmania," he said.
"It's a sad day because I put a lot of line, a lot on the line, for this parliament."
He said he fought off internal opponents to both stand by the stadium, and to get electoral reform over the line.
"I've been advised by all the hard-heads in my party not to go down that track. Why? Because it's bad for votes," he said.
"Well, I've always said 'stuff votes'.
"I've said it when I moved for the 35-seat house of parliament, and I'll say it for the stadium for as long as I damn well live, because I believe in it."
He apologised for the botched rollout of new Spirit of Tasmania ferries and acknowledged economic challenges - but said he was up for the fight.
"And you might get rid of me, mate," he said, directly to Mr Winter, "but I tell you what, they're coming for you as well, because you will always be known as a wrecker."
While there will be plenty of time for campaigning in the upcoming poll, the dominant reaction among Tasmanians appears to be shock.
Among those flabbergasted by the sharp escalation of politicking was former premier Will Hodgman.
"An implausibly stupid decision on so many levels," the two-time election winner posted on social media.
"Politically reckless, and seriously damaging to Tasmania's reputation."
Brad Stansfield, a member of Mr Hodgman's staff and long-term Liberal campaigner, who now runs a PR company, said the political environment would be toxic for Mr Rockliff.
"If we do end up at the point where there is an election, just to be brutally frank, the Liberals would be annihilated," he told the FontCast.
A defiant Jeremy Rockliff has vowed to fight and win an early Tasmanian election, after political brinkmanship with Opposition Leader Dean Winter spiralled in parliament and produced a shock snap poll.
It's not yet clear when the election will fall, with Mr Rockliff seeking to convene parliament next week to pass an emergency budget bill.
Also caught up in the chaos is the billion-dollar Hobart waterfront stadium, and by extension the Tasmania Devils AFL team.
After two days of lengthy debate, Mr Rockliff lost a no-confidence motion in parliament on Thursday, which by convention demands his resignation.
Before the vote, he told Mr Winter, the Labor leader, that should the vote succeed, he would seek an election - just 15 months after the last state poll.
"Be that on Mr Winter's head. This has been a selfish grab for power," he said on Thursday morning.
Pointing to last month's budget - which forecast big deficits and ballooning debt beyond $10 billion - Mr Winter chose to stand behind his motion, unmoved by either public advocacy or behind-closed-doors efforts to talk him down.
"Tasmanians were aghast at the state of the budget," Mr Winter said.
"I can't stand by and let this premier ruin this state and so Tasmanian Labor needs to stand up."
The vote passed 18-17, with Labor, the Greens and three independents backing the motion, including a casting vote by Labor veteran Michelle O'Byrne as speaker.
Shell-shocked, Mr Rockliff then took the floor to deliver an emotion-laden speech.
"This is a very sad day for Tasmania," he said.
"It's a sad day because I put a lot of line, a lot on the line, for this parliament."
He said he fought off internal opponents to both stand by the stadium, and to get electoral reform over the line.
"I've been advised by all the hard-heads in my party not to go down that track. Why? Because it's bad for votes," he said.
"Well, I've always said 'stuff votes'.
"I've said it when I moved for the 35-seat house of parliament, and I'll say it for the stadium for as long as I damn well live, because I believe in it."
He apologised for the botched rollout of new Spirit of Tasmania ferries and acknowledged economic challenges - but said he was up for the fight.
"And you might get rid of me, mate," he said, directly to Mr Winter, "but I tell you what, they're coming for you as well, because you will always be known as a wrecker."
While there will be plenty of time for campaigning in the upcoming poll, the dominant reaction among Tasmanians appears to be shock.
Among those flabbergasted by the sharp escalation of politicking was former premier Will Hodgman.
"An implausibly stupid decision on so many levels," the two-time election winner posted on social media.
"Politically reckless, and seriously damaging to Tasmania's reputation."
Brad Stansfield, a member of Mr Hodgman's staff and long-term Liberal campaigner, who now runs a PR company, said the political environment would be toxic for Mr Rockliff.
"If we do end up at the point where there is an election, just to be brutally frank, the Liberals would be annihilated," he told the FontCast.
A defiant Jeremy Rockliff has vowed to fight and win an early Tasmanian election, after political brinkmanship with Opposition Leader Dean Winter spiralled in parliament and produced a shock snap poll.
It's not yet clear when the election will fall, with Mr Rockliff seeking to convene parliament next week to pass an emergency budget bill.
Also caught up in the chaos is the billion-dollar Hobart waterfront stadium, and by extension the Tasmania Devils AFL team.
After two days of lengthy debate, Mr Rockliff lost a no-confidence motion in parliament on Thursday, which by convention demands his resignation.
Before the vote, he told Mr Winter, the Labor leader, that should the vote succeed, he would seek an election - just 15 months after the last state poll.
"Be that on Mr Winter's head. This has been a selfish grab for power," he said on Thursday morning.
Pointing to last month's budget - which forecast big deficits and ballooning debt beyond $10 billion - Mr Winter chose to stand behind his motion, unmoved by either public advocacy or behind-closed-doors efforts to talk him down.
"Tasmanians were aghast at the state of the budget," Mr Winter said.
"I can't stand by and let this premier ruin this state and so Tasmanian Labor needs to stand up."
The vote passed 18-17, with Labor, the Greens and three independents backing the motion, including a casting vote by Labor veteran Michelle O'Byrne as speaker.
Shell-shocked, Mr Rockliff then took the floor to deliver an emotion-laden speech.
"This is a very sad day for Tasmania," he said.
"It's a sad day because I put a lot of line, a lot on the line, for this parliament."
He said he fought off internal opponents to both stand by the stadium, and to get electoral reform over the line.
"I've been advised by all the hard-heads in my party not to go down that track. Why? Because it's bad for votes," he said.
"Well, I've always said 'stuff votes'.
"I've said it when I moved for the 35-seat house of parliament, and I'll say it for the stadium for as long as I damn well live, because I believe in it."
He apologised for the botched rollout of new Spirit of Tasmania ferries and acknowledged economic challenges - but said he was up for the fight.
"And you might get rid of me, mate," he said, directly to Mr Winter, "but I tell you what, they're coming for you as well, because you will always be known as a wrecker."
While there will be plenty of time for campaigning in the upcoming poll, the dominant reaction among Tasmanians appears to be shock.
Among those flabbergasted by the sharp escalation of politicking was former premier Will Hodgman.
"An implausibly stupid decision on so many levels," the two-time election winner posted on social media.
"Politically reckless, and seriously damaging to Tasmania's reputation."
Brad Stansfield, a member of Mr Hodgman's staff and long-term Liberal campaigner, who now runs a PR company, said the political environment would be toxic for Mr Rockliff.
"If we do end up at the point where there is an election, just to be brutally frank, the Liberals would be annihilated," he told the FontCast.
A defiant Jeremy Rockliff has vowed to fight and win an early Tasmanian election, after political brinkmanship with Opposition Leader Dean Winter spiralled in parliament and produced a shock snap poll.
It's not yet clear when the election will fall, with Mr Rockliff seeking to convene parliament next week to pass an emergency budget bill.
Also caught up in the chaos is the billion-dollar Hobart waterfront stadium, and by extension the Tasmania Devils AFL team.
After two days of lengthy debate, Mr Rockliff lost a no-confidence motion in parliament on Thursday, which by convention demands his resignation.
Before the vote, he told Mr Winter, the Labor leader, that should the vote succeed, he would seek an election - just 15 months after the last state poll.
"Be that on Mr Winter's head. This has been a selfish grab for power," he said on Thursday morning.
Pointing to last month's budget - which forecast big deficits and ballooning debt beyond $10 billion - Mr Winter chose to stand behind his motion, unmoved by either public advocacy or behind-closed-doors efforts to talk him down.
"Tasmanians were aghast at the state of the budget," Mr Winter said.
"I can't stand by and let this premier ruin this state and so Tasmanian Labor needs to stand up."
The vote passed 18-17, with Labor, the Greens and three independents backing the motion, including a casting vote by Labor veteran Michelle O'Byrne as speaker.
Shell-shocked, Mr Rockliff then took the floor to deliver an emotion-laden speech.
"This is a very sad day for Tasmania," he said.
"It's a sad day because I put a lot of line, a lot on the line, for this parliament."
He said he fought off internal opponents to both stand by the stadium, and to get electoral reform over the line.
"I've been advised by all the hard-heads in my party not to go down that track. Why? Because it's bad for votes," he said.
"Well, I've always said 'stuff votes'.
"I've said it when I moved for the 35-seat house of parliament, and I'll say it for the stadium for as long as I damn well live, because I believe in it."
He apologised for the botched rollout of new Spirit of Tasmania ferries and acknowledged economic challenges - but said he was up for the fight.
"And you might get rid of me, mate," he said, directly to Mr Winter, "but I tell you what, they're coming for you as well, because you will always be known as a wrecker."
While there will be plenty of time for campaigning in the upcoming poll, the dominant reaction among Tasmanians appears to be shock.
Among those flabbergasted by the sharp escalation of politicking was former premier Will Hodgman.
"An implausibly stupid decision on so many levels," the two-time election winner posted on social media.
"Politically reckless, and seriously damaging to Tasmania's reputation."
Brad Stansfield, a member of Mr Hodgman's staff and long-term Liberal campaigner, who now runs a PR company, said the political environment would be toxic for Mr Rockliff.
"If we do end up at the point where there is an election, just to be brutally frank, the Liberals would be annihilated," he told the FontCast.
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Pressed for details, he spoke of a "right-sized public service" and other efficiencies to save money, and drew a line through new taxes and cuts to infrastructure spending. The premier has ruled out privatisations in an attempt to diffuse opposition attacks, with the possibility of selling some government entities among Labor's reasons for moving a successful vote of no confidence against the state's leader. Prominent economist Saul Eslake had been preparing a report on viable opportunities to sell government-owned businesses to support Tasmania's troubled finances. Mr Rockliff has now put a stop to that work and promised legislation ensuring any sales would need two-thirds majority support in parliament. "Labor has forced this early election on the deceitful campaign that our government intends to divest government-owned businesses - before Mr Eslake's work is even completed," he said on Saturday. 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Despite feuding over the state's finances, it's the stadium that looms as the biggest issue. The roofed Macquarie Point proposal is a condition of an AFL licence, with the state government responsible for delivery and cost overruns. Labor and the Liberals support the stadium but recent polls suggest Tasmanians are not sold. Both leaders voiced support for the AFL team when asked if they would give up the stadium to secure backing from crossbenchers opposed to it. Mr Winter said he remained open to all stadium options including the so-called 2.0 proposal on reclaimed land on the River Derwent. Roland Browne, spokesperson for the anti-stadium Our Place group, told AAP they would campaign if there was an election. Firebrand senator Jacqui Lambie, independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie and acclaimed author Richard Flanagan are among well-known Tasmanians to front their cause. 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The premier has ruled out privatisations in an attempt to diffuse opposition attacks, with the possibility of selling some government entities among Labor's reasons for moving a successful vote of no confidence against the state's leader. Prominent economist Saul Eslake had been preparing a report on viable opportunities to sell government-owned businesses to support Tasmania's troubled finances. Mr Rockliff has now put a stop to that work and promised legislation ensuring any sales would need two-thirds majority support in parliament. "Labor has forced this early election on the deceitful campaign that our government intends to divest government-owned businesses - before Mr Eslake's work is even completed," he said on Saturday. But Labor shadow treasurer Josh Willie said privatising government assets was "in their DNA". "They will try to do it again and the only way to stop them is to not vote for them," he told reporters in Hobart on Saturday. Opposition leader Dean Winter moved the motion of no confidence due to the state budget, which included ballooning deficits and debt forecasts. The political ructions look to set send Tasmanians back to the polls for the fourth time in seven years unless the Liberal party opts to remove Mr Rockliff and negotiate a new deal with crossbenchers. An election could be called on Tuesday. Senior Liberal figures, including Senator Jonno Duniam, are calling the prospect of a snap election "nuts". "I would have thought every effort should be put into not going to an election ... the people that lose out most in all this - forget the parliamentarians - it's the people of Tassie," he told ABC Radio. Despite feuding over the state's finances, it's the stadium that looms as the biggest issue. The roofed Macquarie Point proposal is a condition of an AFL licence, with the state government responsible for delivery and cost overruns. Labor and the Liberals support the stadium but recent polls suggest Tasmanians are not sold. Both leaders voiced support for the AFL team when asked if they would give up the stadium to secure backing from crossbenchers opposed to it. Mr Winter said he remained open to all stadium options including the so-called 2.0 proposal on reclaimed land on the River Derwent. Roland Browne, spokesperson for the anti-stadium Our Place group, told AAP they would campaign if there was an election. Firebrand senator Jacqui Lambie, independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie and acclaimed author Richard Flanagan are among well-known Tasmanians to front their cause. Mr Browne said he foresaw a scenario where one or both of the major parties would join the Greens in opposing the project. Stadium supporters remain hopeful the Devils, the planned AFL outfit, can win over stadium opponents. 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- West Australian
Labor vows to slash red tape to turbocharge housing
Breaking ground on delivering 1.2 million homes starts by untangling the maze of bureaucratic approvals, the federal government says. Housing Minister Clare O'Neil has signalled a second-term Labor administration will move quickly to boost construction. "We've just been elected with a really clear mandate to improve our housing system in this country," she told reporters on Saturday. "We've got big reforms to implement, and not a day to waste in getting on with them." The minister vowed to simplify local, state and federal planning regulations by leading a council of planning ministers. "If we are going to address the housing needs of Australians, it is going to require the three levels of government to work together in new ways," she said. She will work with the building sector to implement innovative technologies to move past time consuming and costly methods of construction. Her comments come after an interview with ABC on Friday where she said "builders face a ridiculous thicket of red tape that is preventing them building the homes we need." Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn said the cost of building a home had skyrocketed by 40 per cent over the past five years while construction times had ballooned by 80 per cent over the past decade. "It is critical that we remove the red tape that is hampering our capacity to build homes," she said. Ms Wawn was hopeful the ambitious goal of 1.2 million homes coming onto the market would be achieved, but said the group's projections showed there could be a slight drop-off. She argued that along with the focus on reducing red tape, there was an urgent need to apprenticeships and fast-tracking migration for skilled people. "For the first time, the federal government is leaning in and trying to ensure that there is a focused attention on housing," she said. But opposition housing spokesman Andrew Bragg said the government's plans were a "joke" and described Labor as "red tape champions." "Labor's signature housing policy, the Housing Australia Future Fund has built zero new homes in three years," Senator Bragg said. "Approvals are way down under their watch and their 1.2 million new home target is a dead duck." The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development warned Australia on Tuesday to boost housing supply and address falling affordability. The OECD said easing zoning restrictions would strengthen competition and productivity, as well as raise housing investment to "reverse the long-standing decline in housing affordability".
