Embattled Tassie leader's shock move

Perth Now

3 days ago

Just a month after the country voted at the federal election, Tasmanians could be heading back to the polls after their embattled Liberal premier threatened an early election.
Tasmanian Labor tabled a no-confidence motion against Jeremy Rockliff for allegedly mismanaging the Apple Isle's budget, infrastructure projects and the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium.
The Tasmanian Premier could face a no-confidence vote as early as Wednesday morning.
Taking to social media, Mr Rockliff accused state Opposition Leader Dean Winter of trying to force an early election. Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff is facing a no-confidence vote. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia
'It seems Dean Winter and the Labor Party are hell bent on forcing Tasmania to an early election,' he posted on Tuesday night.
'An election just over 12 months since the last one. That's the last thing Tasmania needs. That's the last thing Tasmanians want.
'Investment and business confidence would go off a cliff.'
Mr Rockliff said 'nurses, doctors, firefighters and police would risk not being paid' because the budget had not been passed.
'But that's what a no-confidence vote would do: force Tasmania back to the polls,' he said.
'That's not leadership. That's an obsessive desire for power at any cost. Tasmania deserves better.
'We need to work together to build a better Tasmania.'
The threat came just under 15 months since Tasmania's last election.
The Liberals secured 14 of the 35 lower house seats in the 2024 state vote, giving Mr Rockliff a tenuous minority government.
Labor last month resisted calls from the Greens to back a no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff.
But Mr Winter dramatically changed his tune on Tuesday during his budget-reply address.
'Today, I've tabled a motion that says the House has no confidence in this premier because he's wrecked the budget, because he's planning to sell our power companies, our ports and our public transport, and because no one can trust him after the handling of the Spirit of Tasmania fiasco,' he told the House of Assembly. Tasmanian Opposition Leader Dean Winter says Mr Rockliff 'wrecked the budget'. Nikki Davis-Jones Credit: News Corp Australia
Mr Winter called on the crossbench to support his motion.
'If they really are opposed to the Premier's agenda of debt, deficit and debacle as they claim, then tell the House you've lost confidence in this Premier,' he said.