Leaders to face off in only election campaign debate
Voters will head to the ballot box on Saturday, six weeks after minority Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff lost a vote of no-confidence in parliament.
The latest opinion poll has the Liberals on track to win more seats than Labor, but not enough to reach the 18 mark required for majority.
Both majors have ruled out doing a deal with the Greens, meaning they will likely have to rely on an independent-heavy crossbench to govern.
Mr Rockliff and Labor leader Dean Winter will go toe-to-toe on Wednesday at a debate hosted by Sky News and the Mercury newspaper.
Labor put forward the no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff partly based on the state's poor finances. It was backed by the Greens and three crossbench MPs.
Mr Rockliff didn't step down as Liberal leader, prompting the governor to call an election when no workable government could be found.
"As I've travelled around Tasmania, Tasmanians have said to me they did not want an election," Mr Rockliff told reporters on Tuesday.
"They realised Dean Winter forced this election with a rush of blood to the head.
"Tasmanians want certainty and stability."
Mr Winter blamed the election on Mr Rockliff's stubbornness.
Health has dominated campaigning in recent days, with both parties outlining plans for improved GP access.
Big-spending promises have been non-existent, with Tasmania's debt under the 11-year Liberals set to double to almost $11 billion in 2028/29 according to the most-recent budget.
The state last went to the polls in March 2024, with the Liberals winning 14 seats in the 35-seat house of assembly and Labor 10.
Liberal and Labor leaders will front up for the only debate of Tasmania's snap election campaign, as the prospect of another hung parliament looms.
Voters will head to the ballot box on Saturday, six weeks after minority Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff lost a vote of no-confidence in parliament.
The latest opinion poll has the Liberals on track to win more seats than Labor, but not enough to reach the 18 mark required for majority.
Both majors have ruled out doing a deal with the Greens, meaning they will likely have to rely on an independent-heavy crossbench to govern.
Mr Rockliff and Labor leader Dean Winter will go toe-to-toe on Wednesday at a debate hosted by Sky News and the Mercury newspaper.
Labor put forward the no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff partly based on the state's poor finances. It was backed by the Greens and three crossbench MPs.
Mr Rockliff didn't step down as Liberal leader, prompting the governor to call an election when no workable government could be found.
"As I've travelled around Tasmania, Tasmanians have said to me they did not want an election," Mr Rockliff told reporters on Tuesday.
"They realised Dean Winter forced this election with a rush of blood to the head.
"Tasmanians want certainty and stability."
Mr Winter blamed the election on Mr Rockliff's stubbornness.
Health has dominated campaigning in recent days, with both parties outlining plans for improved GP access.
Big-spending promises have been non-existent, with Tasmania's debt under the 11-year Liberals set to double to almost $11 billion in 2028/29 according to the most-recent budget.
The state last went to the polls in March 2024, with the Liberals winning 14 seats in the 35-seat house of assembly and Labor 10.
Liberal and Labor leaders will front up for the only debate of Tasmania's snap election campaign, as the prospect of another hung parliament looms.
Voters will head to the ballot box on Saturday, six weeks after minority Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff lost a vote of no-confidence in parliament.
The latest opinion poll has the Liberals on track to win more seats than Labor, but not enough to reach the 18 mark required for majority.
Both majors have ruled out doing a deal with the Greens, meaning they will likely have to rely on an independent-heavy crossbench to govern.
Mr Rockliff and Labor leader Dean Winter will go toe-to-toe on Wednesday at a debate hosted by Sky News and the Mercury newspaper.
Labor put forward the no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff partly based on the state's poor finances. It was backed by the Greens and three crossbench MPs.
Mr Rockliff didn't step down as Liberal leader, prompting the governor to call an election when no workable government could be found.
"As I've travelled around Tasmania, Tasmanians have said to me they did not want an election," Mr Rockliff told reporters on Tuesday.
"They realised Dean Winter forced this election with a rush of blood to the head.
"Tasmanians want certainty and stability."
Mr Winter blamed the election on Mr Rockliff's stubbornness.
Health has dominated campaigning in recent days, with both parties outlining plans for improved GP access.
Big-spending promises have been non-existent, with Tasmania's debt under the 11-year Liberals set to double to almost $11 billion in 2028/29 according to the most-recent budget.
The state last went to the polls in March 2024, with the Liberals winning 14 seats in the 35-seat house of assembly and Labor 10.
Liberal and Labor leaders will front up for the only debate of Tasmania's snap election campaign, as the prospect of another hung parliament looms.
Voters will head to the ballot box on Saturday, six weeks after minority Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff lost a vote of no-confidence in parliament.
The latest opinion poll has the Liberals on track to win more seats than Labor, but not enough to reach the 18 mark required for majority.
Both majors have ruled out doing a deal with the Greens, meaning they will likely have to rely on an independent-heavy crossbench to govern.
Mr Rockliff and Labor leader Dean Winter will go toe-to-toe on Wednesday at a debate hosted by Sky News and the Mercury newspaper.
Labor put forward the no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff partly based on the state's poor finances. It was backed by the Greens and three crossbench MPs.
Mr Rockliff didn't step down as Liberal leader, prompting the governor to call an election when no workable government could be found.
"As I've travelled around Tasmania, Tasmanians have said to me they did not want an election," Mr Rockliff told reporters on Tuesday.
"They realised Dean Winter forced this election with a rush of blood to the head.
"Tasmanians want certainty and stability."
Mr Winter blamed the election on Mr Rockliff's stubbornness.
Health has dominated campaigning in recent days, with both parties outlining plans for improved GP access.
Big-spending promises have been non-existent, with Tasmania's debt under the 11-year Liberals set to double to almost $11 billion in 2028/29 according to the most-recent budget.
The state last went to the polls in March 2024, with the Liberals winning 14 seats in the 35-seat house of assembly and Labor 10.
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"If you are sitting there and listening to Penny Sharpe droning on and then a woman who looks like Nathalie Matthews sends you a message, which one would you pay attention to?" he said. "If I am the only person in Australia in a work environment who has engaged in a bit of playful sex talk with a partner, I will buy everyone a lottery ticket. "The big news is I had a private life. I had a sex life, and I've got to say it was fantastic." Ms Matthews asserted in court documents that Mr Latham allegedly demanded she call him 'master', threw dinner plates at her, and even allegedly drove his car at her. Neither Mr Latham nor Ms Matthews responded to requests by ACM for comment. Mr Latham previously described the allegations on X on July 14 as "comically false" and "ridiculous". "I have scores of documents to show that and will rely upon them to defend myself," he wrote. "As the old saying goes, Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." Mr Latham frequently featured Ms Matthews on his social media. The last post of the former lovers showed them cheerily smiling next to Santa Claus on December 24, 2024. The caption read: "Merry Menangle Christmas Ho Ho Ho" with a series of emojis. Ms Matthews owns e-commerce global logistics firm Skynet Global Logistics, according to her LinkedIn profile. In her bio, she says she is "passionate about driving revenue growth and exploring new opportunities in the logistics industry". READ MORE: House of horror: one of Australia's grizzliest crime scenes is on the market Mr Latham served as the leader of the Labor Party and leader of the opposition from December 2003 to January 2005, famously losing the 2004 election to John Howard. He left the ALP in 2017 and joined Pauline Hanson's One Nation party in 2018, gaining a seat in the NSW upper house at the 2019 election. He has two sons with his second wife, Janine Lacy. The pair separated in 2022.
