New twist after chaotic state election
Josh Willie will take over as Opposition Leader, with Janie Finlay as deputy following a caucus vote. Both were unopposed. Dean Winter is no longer the leader of Tasmania's Labor Party after losing the election and a no confidence motion. Nikki Davis-Jones Credit: News Corp Australia
The Mercury reported that under Labor rules, a spill of leadership positions occurs after an election loss.
Labor suffered a humiliating defeat in Tasmania's parliament on Tuesday – the first day of sitting since the snap state election resulted in a hung parliament – with the
motion failing to secure a single crossbench vote.
Mr Winter's motion was met with a rare display of unity from all other sides, leaving Labor exposed and widely criticised. Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff survived a second no confidence motion in parliament on Tuesday. Credit: Supplied
Labor won only 10 seats in the 35-seat parliament at the snap July election called after a previous no confidence in Mr Rockliff succeeded.
The Liberal Party also failed to secure a majority, with just 14 seats, but Mr Rockliff was appointed premier as the leader of the party with the most seats.
More to come
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News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Netanyahu: Albanese's legacy ‘forever tarnished'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has unleashed a scathing attack on Anthony Albanese, declaring the Prime Minister's legacy will forever be stained by weakness in the face of Hamas. In a fiery 16-minute interview with Sky News host Sharri Markson, Mr Netanyahu revealed the full extent of his anger at Labor's decision to recognise a Palestinian state, accusing Mr Albanese of empowering terrorists and betraying Jewish Australians. 'I'm sure he has a reputable record as a public servant, but I think his record is forever tarnished by the weakness that he showed in the face of these Hamas terrorist monsters,' Mr Netanyahu said. 'When the worst terrorist organisation on earth, these savages who murdered women, raped them, beheaded men, burnt babies alive in front of their parents, took hundreds of hostages, when these people congratulate the Prime Minister of Australia, you know something is wrong.' The Israeli leader said Canberra's decision, alongside Britain, France and Canada and other countries, to support Palestinian recognition at the UN had only emboldened extremism. 'So when Prime Minister Albanese … says 'Oh we'll give them a Palestinian state,' they're actually rewarding terror,' Mr Netanyahu said. 'Last time I looked, Australia was part of the West … it's our common Judaeo-Christian civilisation. They want to tear it down and destroy it. 'It's appeasement. Pure and simple. He referenced Hitler pressuring democracies to force Czechoslovakia to surrender the Sudetenland in exchange for peace, only to 'immediately' start World War II. 'The worst war in the history of humanity, that claimed millions and millions of people, innocent people dead. Well, we're not gonna repeat that,' he said. The diplomatic feud has spiralled in recent days, with Israel revoking visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority after Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke cancelled the visa of Israeli MP Simcha Rothman. Mr Albanese has downplayed the attacks, telling reporters earlier this week that he treats leaders with 'respect' and does not take personal offence. 'I don't take these things personally … He has had similar things to say about other leaders,' Mr Albanese said. But Mr Burke was far more blunt in his response, saying, 'Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry.' Speaking from his office in Jerusalem as Israeli forces massed around Gaza City, Mr Netanyahu vowed to press ahead with a complete takeover of the enclave, even if Hamas accepted a last-minute ceasefire proposal. 'We're gonna do that anyway. That there was never a question that we're not going to leave Hamas there,' he said. 'It's like leaving the SS in Germany … you clear out most of Germany, but you leave out Berlin with the SS and the Nazi core there.' Mr Netanyahu said the war could end immediately if Hamas surrendered and released the remaining hostages, but insisted Israel would not tolerate any Hamas stronghold. He said Israel would also never allow the creation of another Palestinian state next to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, describing it as a direct threat to Israel's existence. 'We're not going to commit suicide and put another Palestinian state right next to our doorstep in Tel Aviv or in Jerusalem,' Mr Netanyahu said. 'It's a tiny country and they wanted us to put in the middle of this tiny country another Palestinian state, because we just had one, a de facto Palestinian state in Gaza. 'And what did the Palestinians do with it? They built it down into terror tunnels into for their terrorist monsters. 'They'll do it again, they will kidnap people, they'll rape the women, they'll take the hostages and they'll go to the extermination of Israel. That's their goal.' On accusations that Israel is starving civilians and committing genocide in Gaza, Mr Netanyahu said such claims were 'lies' comparable to medieval blood libels against Jews. 'Israel is starving Palestinian children? What lies?' Mr Netanyahu said. 'I mean, we brought in two million tons of food into Gaza since the beginning of the war. Hamas has been stealing this food and selling the remainder at exorbitant price.' He stressed that Israel had gone further than any army in history to warn civilians before military strikes. 'Israel is doing what no other army has done … the lengths that we go to protect the civilian population has been unheard of, yet Israel is being vilified, just as in the Middle Ages,' he said. Mr Netanyahu said Israel had gone to unprecedented lengths to avoid civilian casualties, sending 'millions and millions of text messages' urging Palestinians to leave areas where Hamas had embedded itself, but claimed many were prevented from escaping because Hamas 'shoots them if they try to get out of harm's way'. Warning to the west Mr Netanyahu drew parallels between today's Western leaders and the 'slumber of democracies' before World War II, warning that appeasement of militant Islam would endanger nations such as Australia. 'The Western leaders, including unfortunately in Australia, are … trying to feed the crocodile of militant Islam … The more you pour fuel into this anti-Semitic, anti-Israel and anti-Western fire, the greater the fire will grow, it will consume you in the end,' he said. He also condemned violent pro-Palestinian rallies in Sydney and Melbourne, urging governments to 'defy' extremist slogans rather than yield to them. 'These people … should be counteracted, they should be opposed, and they should be defied by the leaders,' he said. Trump's support Mr Netanyahu also revealed he had the backing of US president Donald Trump, who he said regarded Australia's position on Palestinian statehood as 'irrelevant'. 'I think President Trump put it best, he says Hamas has to disappear from Gaza,' Mr Netanyahu said, adding that Mr Trump fully supported Israel's goal of eliminating Hamas' last stronghold in Gaza City. Anti-Semitism in Australia Tensions have been further inflamed by a spate of antisemitic attacks across Australia, with synagogues targeted and one subjected to an arson attempt. Mr Netanyahu said he was 'very dismayed' by the rise in anti-Semitic incidents on Australian streets, including the recent burning of a Melbourne synagogue. 'I've seen this tsunami of anti-Semitism, this racism, and this targeting of the innocents … these are horrible things, and you know, if you don't stop them when they're small, they get bigger and bigger and bigger and ultimately they consume your society,' he said. Warning that Western democracies were 'feeding the crocodile' of militant Islam, he urged leaders to show courage rather than bow to pressure. 'It's the weakness of democratic leaders who, at a time of testing, should stand up and show leadership. And leadership means standing up with the truth, standing up for your conviction, standing up for the right side of history and not for the wrong side,' he said. Australia's leading Jewish organisation has also stepped into the dispute, issuing a rare public rebuke of both Mr Netanyahu and Mr Albanese. In letters delivered this week, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) warned that the leaders' escalating 'war of words' was placing the Jewish community in a vulnerable position. The ECAJ described Mr Burke's remarks as 'incendiary and irresponsible', and criticised Mr Albanese's comments as 'excessive and gratuitously insulting', while condemning Mr Netanyahu's attacks on the Prime Minister as 'inflammatory and provocative'. 'The Australian Jewish community will not be left to deal with the fallout of a spat between two leaders who are playing to their respective domestic audiences,' The ECAJ said. In a private letter to Mr Albanese, revealed by Markson on Thursday night, Mr Netanyahu issued a stark warning: 'History will not forgive hesitation. It will honour action.' Despite the diplomatic rift, Mr Netanyahu said Israel would prevail in both the battlefield and propaganda war. 'I want to assure Australians that we will win,' he said. 'They may get away with pushing these lies against us, but we do not succumb on the battlefield. We roll back those who would exterminate us … and we'll secure the peace.' 'It's to free Gaza, free them from Hamas tyranny, free Israel and others from Hamas terrorism, give Gaza and Israel a different future, and I think we're close to doing it.'
Sydney Morning Herald
4 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
It's the question Albanese hates most, but the answer tells us much about him
Albanese's views on ambition and trust in politics were shaped, in part, by 12 years of watching John Howard up close and then the 2010 caucus coup that tore down Kevin Rudd. At the time, he warned the switch to Julia Gillard would destroy the careers of two potentially great Australian prime ministers and that Labor should be 'fighting tories', not each other. He was correct. In the decade that followed, Labor lost power and the Coalition cycled through three prime ministers before being booted out of office without having achieved much. At the 'Kingo' in 2021, Albanese spoke at length about how the prime ministerial merry-go-round had smashed Australians' faith in politics and politicians (a trend replicated in democracies around the world) and how corrosive that was for democracy and social cohesion. If elected prime minister, he said, he would pursue economic and social reforms but not at the expense of rebuilding trust in Australian politics. Later, during the 2022 election campaign, Albanese outlined a two-term strategy to try to restore the ALP as the ' natural party of government '. In office, Albanese has mostly stuck to his promise to rebuild trust – with two exceptions. First, holding the Voice to parliament referendum, which had been flagged before the election but which ultimately proved to be too much change too soon for most Australians. Second, his decision to change Scott Morrison's stage three tax cuts. This was a broken promise and Albanese was roundly castigated when he announced the change. The critics howled about a promise broken – Peter Dutton called for an early election – but they (including yours truly) were wrong. Albanese took the Australian people into his trust and explained the reasons for the decision. The fact that millions of extra Australians got a tax cut didn't hurt, either. The defeat of the Voice spooked Albanese, and although he carried the day on tax cut changes, these were difficult moments for the government. Though one change was successful and one was not, both contributed to Albanese's already innate caution during the first term. Loading Proposals Labor was examining – such as winding back negative gearing tax breaks – were kicked into the long grass, despite Treasurer Jim Chalmers championing them. Albanese left the door open for just a few days on that proposal before slamming it shut. And while some economists argue that winding back negative gearing could reduce housing supply and exacerbate the problem, the public perception is that limiting the tax break would help solve the housing crisis. But by not acting on this policy, Albanese has reinforced public perceptions that he lacks ambition. When asked about this, the PM vehemently disagrees. Regularly, in public and in private, he will run through a long list of reforms that run the gamut from climate and housing polices, industrial relations, student debt relief and more. Whether you agree with him or not, Albanese enjoys one of the largest majorities in Australian political history, so he must be doing something right. Barring an act of God or caucus, Albanese is certain to lead Labor to the next election, and if this parliament runs full term, he will become the eighth longest-serving PM. Three full three-year terms would leave him behind only Robert Menzies and Howard and ahead of Labor legend Bob Hawke. That is rare air. Albanese – the first prime minister to be re-elected since 2004 – is embedding himself in the political firmament as a left-wing John Howard. The secret to Howard's success was trust. Even those Australians who didn't like him or vote for him trusted that he acted in what he thought was Australia's best interests. Howard used that reservoir of trust to deliver the GST, and then broke that trust with Work Choices. Albanese has not yet delivered anything like Howard's signature achievement, though if the government can put the NDIS on a sustainable footing that will be a huge accomplishment.
The Age
4 hours ago
- The Age
It's the question Albanese hates most, but the answer tells us much about him
Albanese's views on ambition and trust in politics were shaped, in part, by 12 years of watching John Howard up close and then the 2010 caucus coup that tore down Kevin Rudd. At the time, he warned the switch to Julia Gillard would destroy the careers of two potentially great Australian prime ministers and that Labor should be 'fighting tories', not each other. He was correct. In the decade that followed, Labor lost power and the Coalition cycled through three prime ministers before being booted out of office without having achieved much. At the 'Kingo' in 2021, Albanese spoke at length about how the prime ministerial merry-go-round had smashed Australians' faith in politics and politicians (a trend replicated in democracies around the world) and how corrosive that was for democracy and social cohesion. If elected prime minister, he said, he would pursue economic and social reforms but not at the expense of rebuilding trust in Australian politics. Later, during the 2022 election campaign, Albanese outlined a two-term strategy to try to restore the ALP as the ' natural party of government '. In office, Albanese has mostly stuck to his promise to rebuild trust – with two exceptions. First, holding the Voice to parliament referendum, which had been flagged before the election but which ultimately proved to be too much change too soon for most Australians. Second, his decision to change Scott Morrison's stage three tax cuts. This was a broken promise and Albanese was roundly castigated when he announced the change. The critics howled about a promise broken – Peter Dutton called for an early election – but they (including yours truly) were wrong. Albanese took the Australian people into his trust and explained the reasons for the decision. The fact that millions of extra Australians got a tax cut didn't hurt, either. The defeat of the Voice spooked Albanese, and although he carried the day on tax cut changes, these were difficult moments for the government. Though one change was successful and one was not, both contributed to Albanese's already innate caution during the first term. Loading Proposals Labor was examining – such as winding back negative gearing tax breaks – were kicked into the long grass, despite Treasurer Jim Chalmers championing them. Albanese left the door open for just a few days on that proposal before slamming it shut. And while some economists argue that winding back negative gearing could reduce housing supply and exacerbate the problem, the public perception is that limiting the tax break would help solve the housing crisis. But by not acting on this policy, Albanese has reinforced public perceptions that he lacks ambition. When asked about this, the PM vehemently disagrees. Regularly, in public and in private, he will run through a long list of reforms that run the gamut from climate and housing polices, industrial relations, student debt relief and more. Whether you agree with him or not, Albanese enjoys one of the largest majorities in Australian political history, so he must be doing something right. Barring an act of God or caucus, Albanese is certain to lead Labor to the next election, and if this parliament runs full term, he will become the eighth longest-serving PM. Three full three-year terms would leave him behind only Robert Menzies and Howard and ahead of Labor legend Bob Hawke. That is rare air. Albanese – the first prime minister to be re-elected since 2004 – is embedding himself in the political firmament as a left-wing John Howard. The secret to Howard's success was trust. Even those Australians who didn't like him or vote for him trusted that he acted in what he thought was Australia's best interests. Howard used that reservoir of trust to deliver the GST, and then broke that trust with Work Choices. Albanese has not yet delivered anything like Howard's signature achievement, though if the government can put the NDIS on a sustainable footing that will be a huge accomplishment.
