Labor keeps hope of governing after horror state poll
Saturday's snap poll, 16 months after the last, returned another hung parliament with the Liberals so far securing 14 seats and Labor nine, as counting continues.
Both will be short of the 18 seats required for majority, with Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff declaring victory on election night and saying he would try to form a minority government.
Labor under Dean Winter had a three per cent swing against it and the party's worst primary vote in Tasmania in more than a century.
However, Mr Winter hasn't ruled out trying to form government if the Liberals are unable to get a left-leaning independent crossbench onside.
"I've spoken to a number of members of the crossbench and offered Labor will try and work differently and collaboratively," he said on Saturday.
"I won't go into the details of any of the conversations but we'll treat people with respect.
"I think that's what the crossbench is looking for and it's also what Tasmanians are looking for."
However, Mr Winter reiterated he would not "do a deal" with the Greens - Labor would need support from the party, which hold five seats - to govern.
Mr Winter said he would not compromise on Labor policy, including support for a $945 million stadium which is opposed by the Greens and three crossbench independents.
One of those independents, a re-elected Kristie Johnston, says she won't enter into a formal deal for confidence and supply with either major party and will provide support on merit.
"They need to negotiate and respect the views of parliament," she told AAP.
It could take weeks for the final outcome in four remaining undecided seats, meaning formal minority agreements may take even longer.
Mr Rockliff would need to work with independents to govern, including two, Ms Johnston and the re-elected Craig Garland, who voted for a no-confidence motion against him.
The June vote, which triggered the election, lashed ballooning debt under the Liberals and bungled Bass Strait ferry delivery.
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has kept the door ajar for a Labor alliance, calling on Mr Winter to "have a conversation".
The drawn-out post-election scenario has delayed the parliamentary approval process for the new stadium, a condition of Tasmania's AFL licence.
The project is supported by the Liberals and Labor but opposed by the Greens, Mr Garland, Ms Johnston and the third elected independent Peter George.
The new parliament will be very similar to the previous one that included 14 Liberals, 10 Labor, five Greens, five independents and one Jacqui Lambie Network member.
Tasmania's Labor leader has reached out to independents in the hope of forming government, despite his party losing ground and trailing the Liberals seat-wise.
Saturday's snap poll, 16 months after the last, returned another hung parliament with the Liberals so far securing 14 seats and Labor nine, as counting continues.
Both will be short of the 18 seats required for majority, with Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff declaring victory on election night and saying he would try to form a minority government.
Labor under Dean Winter had a three per cent swing against it and the party's worst primary vote in Tasmania in more than a century.
However, Mr Winter hasn't ruled out trying to form government if the Liberals are unable to get a left-leaning independent crossbench onside.
"I've spoken to a number of members of the crossbench and offered Labor will try and work differently and collaboratively," he said on Saturday.
"I won't go into the details of any of the conversations but we'll treat people with respect.
"I think that's what the crossbench is looking for and it's also what Tasmanians are looking for."
However, Mr Winter reiterated he would not "do a deal" with the Greens - Labor would need support from the party, which hold five seats - to govern.
Mr Winter said he would not compromise on Labor policy, including support for a $945 million stadium which is opposed by the Greens and three crossbench independents.
One of those independents, a re-elected Kristie Johnston, says she won't enter into a formal deal for confidence and supply with either major party and will provide support on merit.
"They need to negotiate and respect the views of parliament," she told AAP.
It could take weeks for the final outcome in four remaining undecided seats, meaning formal minority agreements may take even longer.
Mr Rockliff would need to work with independents to govern, including two, Ms Johnston and the re-elected Craig Garland, who voted for a no-confidence motion against him.
The June vote, which triggered the election, lashed ballooning debt under the Liberals and bungled Bass Strait ferry delivery.
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has kept the door ajar for a Labor alliance, calling on Mr Winter to "have a conversation".
The drawn-out post-election scenario has delayed the parliamentary approval process for the new stadium, a condition of Tasmania's AFL licence.
The project is supported by the Liberals and Labor but opposed by the Greens, Mr Garland, Ms Johnston and the third elected independent Peter George.
The new parliament will be very similar to the previous one that included 14 Liberals, 10 Labor, five Greens, five independents and one Jacqui Lambie Network member.
Tasmania's Labor leader has reached out to independents in the hope of forming government, despite his party losing ground and trailing the Liberals seat-wise.
Saturday's snap poll, 16 months after the last, returned another hung parliament with the Liberals so far securing 14 seats and Labor nine, as counting continues.
Both will be short of the 18 seats required for majority, with Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff declaring victory on election night and saying he would try to form a minority government.
Labor under Dean Winter had a three per cent swing against it and the party's worst primary vote in Tasmania in more than a century.
However, Mr Winter hasn't ruled out trying to form government if the Liberals are unable to get a left-leaning independent crossbench onside.
"I've spoken to a number of members of the crossbench and offered Labor will try and work differently and collaboratively," he said on Saturday.
"I won't go into the details of any of the conversations but we'll treat people with respect.
"I think that's what the crossbench is looking for and it's also what Tasmanians are looking for."
However, Mr Winter reiterated he would not "do a deal" with the Greens - Labor would need support from the party, which hold five seats - to govern.
Mr Winter said he would not compromise on Labor policy, including support for a $945 million stadium which is opposed by the Greens and three crossbench independents.
One of those independents, a re-elected Kristie Johnston, says she won't enter into a formal deal for confidence and supply with either major party and will provide support on merit.
"They need to negotiate and respect the views of parliament," she told AAP.
It could take weeks for the final outcome in four remaining undecided seats, meaning formal minority agreements may take even longer.
Mr Rockliff would need to work with independents to govern, including two, Ms Johnston and the re-elected Craig Garland, who voted for a no-confidence motion against him.
The June vote, which triggered the election, lashed ballooning debt under the Liberals and bungled Bass Strait ferry delivery.
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has kept the door ajar for a Labor alliance, calling on Mr Winter to "have a conversation".
The drawn-out post-election scenario has delayed the parliamentary approval process for the new stadium, a condition of Tasmania's AFL licence.
The project is supported by the Liberals and Labor but opposed by the Greens, Mr Garland, Ms Johnston and the third elected independent Peter George.
The new parliament will be very similar to the previous one that included 14 Liberals, 10 Labor, five Greens, five independents and one Jacqui Lambie Network member.
Tasmania's Labor leader has reached out to independents in the hope of forming government, despite his party losing ground and trailing the Liberals seat-wise.
Saturday's snap poll, 16 months after the last, returned another hung parliament with the Liberals so far securing 14 seats and Labor nine, as counting continues.
Both will be short of the 18 seats required for majority, with Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff declaring victory on election night and saying he would try to form a minority government.
Labor under Dean Winter had a three per cent swing against it and the party's worst primary vote in Tasmania in more than a century.
However, Mr Winter hasn't ruled out trying to form government if the Liberals are unable to get a left-leaning independent crossbench onside.
"I've spoken to a number of members of the crossbench and offered Labor will try and work differently and collaboratively," he said on Saturday.
"I won't go into the details of any of the conversations but we'll treat people with respect.
"I think that's what the crossbench is looking for and it's also what Tasmanians are looking for."
However, Mr Winter reiterated he would not "do a deal" with the Greens - Labor would need support from the party, which hold five seats - to govern.
Mr Winter said he would not compromise on Labor policy, including support for a $945 million stadium which is opposed by the Greens and three crossbench independents.
One of those independents, a re-elected Kristie Johnston, says she won't enter into a formal deal for confidence and supply with either major party and will provide support on merit.
"They need to negotiate and respect the views of parliament," she told AAP.
It could take weeks for the final outcome in four remaining undecided seats, meaning formal minority agreements may take even longer.
Mr Rockliff would need to work with independents to govern, including two, Ms Johnston and the re-elected Craig Garland, who voted for a no-confidence motion against him.
The June vote, which triggered the election, lashed ballooning debt under the Liberals and bungled Bass Strait ferry delivery.
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has kept the door ajar for a Labor alliance, calling on Mr Winter to "have a conversation".
The drawn-out post-election scenario has delayed the parliamentary approval process for the new stadium, a condition of Tasmania's AFL licence.
The project is supported by the Liberals and Labor but opposed by the Greens, Mr Garland, Ms Johnston and the third elected independent Peter George.
The new parliament will be very similar to the previous one that included 14 Liberals, 10 Labor, five Greens, five independents and one Jacqui Lambie Network member.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
12 minutes ago
- News.com.au
‘Do it immediately': Ray Hadley lashes out at shark net madness
Premier Chris Minns must act now to stop the removal of shark nets from Sydney beaches ahead of the summer season, starting September 1. Three councils, Waverley, Northern Beaches and Central Coast, have been given the option to trial one beach each without a shark net. The Greens are being blamed, but Central Coast Mayor Lawrie McKinna says he was not involved in the decision: 'That decision was taken by the administrator. We don't want to remove shark nets from our beaches'. He said people travelled to the area specifically because of the safety of its beaches. So who is playing Russian roulette with swimmers and surfers? According to McKinna, it's the Minns Labor government - and particularly the left faction led by Upper House MP Penny Sharpe. Chris Minns, with a stroke of the pen, you can stop this. You can say: 'No, the nets are staying'. If there is a shark attack on one of these beaches next summer after the nets are removed, the blame will fall squarely on your shoulders. Pick up the pen. Do it. You must act immediately.
Sky News AU
14 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
Communications Minister once hailed YouTube as a place for kids — now she appears ready to ban it
Communications Minister Anika Wells once fawned over YouTube as a way to entertain her young children — now she appears ready to ban it as a legal furore erupts in the tech world. Minister wells is considering banning children under 16 from YouTube, but just a few years ago she praised the video sharing platform as a means for a young parent to navigate the "parliament hustle". "How do I handle the parliament hustle? Sturdy baby gates and The Wiggles on YouTube," she wrote in December, 2022, at a time she was sports minister. Minister Wells appeared to confirm for the first time publicly that she would formally adopt a push from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant to prohibit children from creating accounts on YouTube. 'The eSafety Commissioner made it clear in her advice to the Minister that the law relates to children under the age of 16 having their own social media accounts,' Minister Wells told 'eSafety's recommendation does not prevent children from watching videos like The Wiggles on YouTube Kids or on their parent's account.' Under this scenario, kids would still be able to access YouTube logged out, which means they would not be protected by Google's sophisticated parental controls. YouTube has argued this move would make the internet less safe, a clear contradiction with the original intent of the Act. A formal decision is expected as early as Thursday this week but the government has been criticised for confusion around the rollout of these new laws. And it isn't just parents confused by Labor's flip-flopping on the social media ban. The rushed implementation of the laws and the lack of industry clarity has infuriated multiple platforms involved in negotiations, leading to tense and highly complex legal discussions behind closed doors. TikTok is understood to have made a legal threat on constitutional grounds over the ban. TikTok denies this but in a submission to the government, the Chinese owned platform alleged the laws would be fundamentally unworkable and anti-competitive in nature, if YouTube was exempt. Labor appears to have listened to these warnings and could announce a major change to the child ban policy as early as next week. After learning Labor was preparing to U-turn on a pledge to exempt YouTube, Google also called in the lawyers. The video sharing platform argued the child ban breaches the implied constitutional protections Australians have to engage in political speech. In March, TikTok wrote a scathing submission to the government which focused almost entirely on lobbying for YouTube to also be banned. TikTok's submission alleged the laws were "unsupportable" and "anti-competitive" in nature, and accused Labor of reverse engineering legislation. "Excluding any major platform by name from the minimum age obligation on educative grounds is unsupportable without evidence," the submission said. "What is clear is that the Government has begun its analysis from the starting position that YouTube must be exempt and then attempted, half-heartedly, to reverse-engineer defensible supporting evidence. "Handing one major social media platform a sweetheart deal of this nature - while subjecting every other platform in Australia to stringent compliance obligations - would be illogical, anti-competitive, and short-sighted." TikTok also warned that an exemption for YouTube raised anti-competition legal issues which, it argued, had already been highlighted by the ACCC. 'That Google or any rational economic actor in its position would seek to lobby Government for favourable treatment is comprehensible. That the Government would accede to it, against the warnings of its own competition watchdog, is not,' the submission said. In a forward to the submission TikTok warned the government the laws "would not work" if YouTube was exempt. "For the reasons set out in this submission, we have grave concerns that the Rules, if implemented in their current form, would not work," TikTok said. "We are particularly concerned that carving out any major platform by name - in this case, YouTube - from the minimum age obligation would result in a law that is illogical, anti-competitive, and short-sighted." eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant was accused earlier this month of misleading Australians after her push to have children banned from the platform was not supported in her own research. It was revealed that even Ms Inman Grant's office used YouTube to educate children as part of her own publishing strategy, specifically targeting the demographic. In late 2022, while Ms Inman Grant was in charge of the body, a series of videos called 'eSafety Mighty Heroes' including characters such as Dusty the frilled neck lizard, River the sugar glider, Billie the bilby, and Wanda the echidna was released on the same day - content clearly published with the intent to educate children.
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Tasmanian Liberals accused of breaching caretaker conventions over Marinus Link and TT-line borrowing limit
As votes continue to be counted and both major parties continue discussions with crossbenchers to form government following Tasmania's snap election, the government is being accused of breaching caretaker conventions. Tasmania's Labor opposition has claimed the government's handling of two policy decisions — an increase in the borrowing limit for ferry operator TT-Line and the yet-to-be-made decision on whether to proceed with the Marinus Link undersea power cable — have contravened caretaker conventions. The government said it would follow all relevant caretaker conventions and that it had briefed Labor on the TT-Line decision, and would consult with Labor on the Marinus decision "in due course". When the House of Assembly is dissolved for a general election, the government is placed in what is called a caretaker period. Caretaker conventions outline how the government should operate during the period. According to the guidelines, the conventions are "neither legally binding nor hard and fast rules" and they should be applied to individual cases with "sound judgement and common sense". Professor emerita Anne Twomey, a constitutional law expert at the University of Sydney, said the conventions were developed "as a matter of fairness". "The idea is that during that [caretaker] period, after parliament has been dissolved, where governments are no longer actively responsible to parliament because there's no parliament in existence, then they should be a lot more careful about what they do. "You don't want to bind a new government, which may have completely different policies, by entering into a whole lot of commitments immediately beforehand to make life difficult for them," Professor Twomey said. Professor Twomey said it "comes down to the people". "It's really a political matter as to how effective they are. So, it comes down to the people, particularly when they vote, in terms of deciding whether the government has behaved appropriately," she said. Under the guidelines, governments are encouraged to avoid making major policy decisions that are likely to commit an incoming government. However, this is not always possible, Professor Twomey said. "There is an additional principle that says, if you have to make a major decision in that period, then you should consult the other side as well and try to reach an agreed position," she said. The government does not require endorsement from the opposition during consultation. "Ultimately, it's the government that makes decisions. "But it's better to try and get some kind of agreement between both sides in order to progress matters that are significant and would have an impact on an incoming government," Professor Twomey said. Labor is calling on the government to release the business case for the Marinus Link undersea power cable project, saying that withholding it is a breach of caretaker conventions. Marinus would be a second electricity interconnector between Tasmania and Victoria. A decision by the Tasmanian, Victorian and federal governments on whether to proceed with the project is due by the end of July. A whole-of-state business case was provided to the government by Treasury in May. The government promised to release the case 30 days before its final investment decision, however said the release has been delayed due to the early election. Labor MLC Sarah Lovell said the premier needed to release the business case "as soon as possible". "These are major financial decisions that will be made by the government. "These are long-term decisions and under caretaker conventions one of the prerequisites is that decisions that are being made that will impact on future governments need [to have] all that information released to both the opposition and the government, and we're not seeing that from the premier," Ms Lovell said. On Saturday, Liberal MP Felix Ellis said Labor had not been briefed yet "because no final decision has been made" on Marinus Link. "We'll continue to work through the process. This is an important investment for our state, and we'll be updating the public as well as the opposition in due course," Mr Ellis said. State Energy Minister Nick Duigan also said on Saturday that "all relevant information will be publicly released" only once a decision on the project is finalised. Professor Twomey said the government did not have to be "undecided" before it consulted. "It's fair enough for a government to take a view as to what it wants to do before engaging in consultation," she said. "But if you're saying a decision means that's our final decision and we're not going to pay one iota of attention to anything you say, that would be rather pre-empting the consultation and making it pointless." At the weekend, the government agreed to support a temporary $410 million increase to Bass Strait ferry operator TT-Line's borrowing capacity. Treasurer Guy Barnett said the government received advice from Treasury on July 25 "recommending TT-Line's guaranteed borrowing limit be increased". "[Opposition treasury spokesperson] Josh Willie was briefed on July 26, and the decision was announced the same day," Mr Barnett said. Mr Willie said he received a call just over an hour before the decision was announced. "Jeremy Rockliff's idea of 'consultation' is a last-minute phone call. That's not consultation — that's a courtesy call after the decision had already been made. "When a major policy decision is being made during the caretaker period — especially one that would bind a future government — Labor must be consulted before the decision is made," Mr Willie said. Professor Twomey said caretaker conventions did not outline specific requirements for adequate consultation, rather that was "a matter for the relevant parties to decide". "Telling someone something an hour before you publicise it does seem to be perfunctory in terms of genuine consultation," she said. "As a general principle, that would be something that you would think would not be adequate consultation. "But, again, these are not binding rules. They're just conventions and it's a matter for the political parties to decide how they want to interpret them."
