Latest news with #GavinPearce
ABC News
4 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Abetz in, Barnett out as treasurer in Tasmanian Liberals cabinet shuffle
Former federal MPs Bridget Archer and Gavin Pearce are new faces in Premier Jeremy Rockliff's latest cabinet, Roger Jaensch has been dumped, and Deputy Premier Guy Barnett moved on as treasurer. Ms Archer has been appointed to the demanding health portfolio, replacing Jacquie Petrusma, who has stepped down to focus on her recovery from a serious hamstring injury she suffered in June. Mr Pearce will be the minister for primary industries and water, and veterans affairs, replacing former children and youth minister Roger Jaensch. Mr Barnett has been moved from the treasury portfolio following an immense backlash over this year's state budget, which projected that net debt would grow to almost $11 billion in the 2028-29 financial year. Eric Abetz will take on the portfolio. Mr Rockliff will have no ministerial responsibilities in his new-look cabinet after he was re-commissioned by Governor Barbara Baker on Wednesday, saying he wanted to concentrate on his duties as premier. "It's important that with the new make-up of parliament that I'm able to dedicate the time to working across all areas of parliament and the crossbench, so I can have greater opportunity and investment of time in collaboration and listening and learning from all members of parliament," he said. Mr Rockliff said Ms Archer, who has also been appointed to the new ageing portfolio and as minister for Aboriginal affairs, would be a great addition to his cabinet. Mr Rockliff said Mr Barnett had not been dumped as treasurer, but was instead taking on "increased responsibility" by also adding the justice and small business portfolios. "There was a range of areas of responsibility, and I want to ensure that each member of parliament has the right workload balance to be able to support them in making key decisions," he said. Education Minister Jo Palmer will also become the children and youth minister, and be responsible for the closure of the Ashley Youth Detention Centre. Mr Abetz will remain responsible for the government's proposed AFL stadium, in a renamed role as minister for Macquarie Point urban renewal. Mr Rockliff said he was confident his new cabinet would remain in place for the next four years, despite his government being expected to face a no-confidence motion as soon as parliament resumes on August 19. Labor Leader Dean Winter, who met with all five Independent MPs on Thursday as he continued his bid to form a minority government, has confirmed his party or a crossbench MP will move a no-confidence motion. The premier said Mr Winter had "had learnt nothing" from last month's state election, where Labor suffered a 3.1 per cent statewide swing against it. "What Tasmanians want is a stable parliament, a government that works across the parliament in the best interests of Tasmanians and a government that can get on with the job of delivering key areas of our agenda, but also key areas of passions for other MPs as well," he said. Ms Archer, who topped the poll in her seat of Bass after being defeated at this year's federal election, said she looked forward to taking on the challenge of the health portfolio. She said the government had made great strides in reducing the elective surgery waiting list under Ms Petrusma's leadership, and hoped to "continue the momentum". "I very much look forward to being able to work collaboratively with the parliament and across stakeholders in our community in what is, I think, one of our most important areas of responsibility in northern Tasmania and right across Tasmania," she said. Mr Rockliff said he had great admiration for Ms Petrusma, and "her diligence over the course of the last 15 or 16 months as she has dedicated her time to the health system".
ABC News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Candidates coming forward ahead of Tasmania's July 19 state election
As Tasmania prepares for its snap election, candidates across the state are already putting their hands up to be part of the 52nd parliament. Despite the short amount of time they have had to find candidates, the Liberals are coming in with some heavyweights. The ABC understands Gavin Pearce, who chose not to recontest his federal seat of Braddon, will join a stacked-up state ticket in Premier Jeremy Rockliff's own state electorate of Braddon. Former Liberal Party senator Stephen Parry, who just failed in his bid to win the Legislative Council seat of Montgomery, will also be on the ticket. The party did not even wait for an election to be called when it announced former federal MP Bridget Archer, who was kicked out of office last month, was going to run for Bass. But they could not convince Susie Bower, who failed to win the seat of Lyons in the federal election, to jump straight back in the ring. There are also a fair few people popping their hands up who ran in the 2024 state election. Names like Burnie Deputy Mayor Giovanna Simpson (Braddon), Sandy Bay butcher Marcus Vermey (Clark) and vaccine sceptic Julie Sladden (Bass). The premier also confirmed this morning that all sitting Liberal MPs will be recontesting. Aside from Heidi Heck, Labor can not pull from any of the federal candidates who ran in the last election because they are all sitting in Canberra. Ms Heck has confirmed to the ABC she will not be running. However, former federal Lyons MP Brian Mitchell has confirmed he will be seeking preselection. Mr Mitchell stood aside for former state leader Rebecca White to run in the federal election, where she managed to increase his margin from 0.9 per cent to 11.6 per cent. But her absence will likely hurt the state party. In the 2024 Tasmanian election, Ms White won a whopping 15,607 first preference votes, helping to elect Jen Butler. The party has also lost long-serving Bass MP Michelle O'Byrne. Labor has yet to officially reveal any of its candidates, but it is understood all sitting members will recontest. The name of former Salmon Tasmania chief executive officer, now Labor advisor, Luke Martin has been bandied about for Clark, but that preselection has yet to be confirmed. Unions Tas secretary Jess Munday has been widely tipped to run for Labor in Franklin. The Greens' five candidates will all recontest. Meanwhile, Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie will have no presence this time around. She cut off two of her team, Miriam Beswick and Rebekah Pentland, early on in the term. The last standing Jacqui Lambie Network member, Andrew Jenner, announced just last week he had split from the JLN. Mr Jenner and Ms Pentland will run as independents. It is understood Ms Beswick is intending to run again; the question is, under which banner? It seems she is taking her time to consider whether to run as an independent or seek preselection with the Nationals. The party, which is opposed to the stadium, has just put out a call for candidates. Former Liberal MP John Tucker has confirmed he will be putting up his hand. Then there are a whole bunch of familiar independents, including incumbents David O'Byrne, Kristie Johnston and Craig Garland. Fresh off their failed federal election bids and keen to give life in politics another go are people like anti-salmon campaigner Peter George and independent Lyons candidate Angela Offord. Michelle Dracoulis, who briefly put her hand up for Labor last state election, will also run as an independent. Despite registering her own party, Senator Tammy Tyrrell will not be running any candidates. One Nation, which is not registered to contest a state election, will be nowhere to be seen. Given the election campaign is in its very early days, there will be many more candidates to come forward.
