
Greens won't prop up Labor government 'at this stage'
The July 19 state election returned another hung parliament, with the Liberals (14 seats) finishing closer than Labor (10) to the 18 seats required for majority.
Liberal leader Jeremy Rockliff has been reappointed premier, but Labor remains in the hunt to govern and could take the helm via a vote of MPs when parliament resumes on August 19.
Both major parties have been trying to garner support from a cross bench containing five Greens, five independents and one Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP.
Labor leader Dean Winter has held talks with independents but has continually ruled out "doing a deal" with the Greens, despite needing their numbers to govern.
Mr Winter has flagged a no-confidence motion in Mr Rockliff when parliament resumes, which could result in the Liberals being punted from power.
Mr Winter and Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff held a formal meeting on Tuesday.
Dr Woodruff said Mr Winter had shown no intention to negotiate in good faith, or make policy compromises.
"At this stage we cannot have any confidence in the proposed motion to make Dean Winter the premier of Tasmania in parliament," she said.
Dr Woodruff said the door remained open for talks with Labor, but indicated time was running out ahead of parliament's resumption.
She said Labor was unwilling to budge on issues including environmental protections, native forest logging or the Greens-opposed new AFL stadium.
Dr Woodruff said it was hard to see her party's position changing while Mr Winter remained Labor leader.
The Greens lack of support for Labor didn't mean the party was offering confidence to the Liberals, she added.
Labor, which has been in opposition since 2014, recorded its lowest vote in Tasmania in more than a century at the election.
Mr Winter, who will make independent upper house MP Ruth Forrest treasurer if the party governs, said the cross bench had a choice based on how to best fix the budget.
The snap election was called after Mr Rockliff in June lost a no-confidence motion critical of Tasmania's ballooning net debt and his handing of delayed infrastructure projects.
Mr Winter said Mr Rockliff planned to "cut 2500 public sector jobs" while Labor wanted to work on a mix of revenue and expenditure options.
He reiterated he wouldn't be "horse-trading" specific policies.
The Liberals have recently made several concessions, including banning greyhound racing by 2029 and dropping a plan to expand native forestry, to try to appease the cross bench.
Speaking before Dr Woodruff's press conference, Mr Rockliff said he was taking nothing for granted and was working with the cross bench in a sensible way.

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