Tasmania Heads to Polls Again, Second Election in 14 Months

The governor has granted an early election after Premier Rockliff lost a vote of confidence.

Tasmania’s Premier Jeremy Rockliff at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on June 17, 2022. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

Tasmanians will return to the polls on July 19 after Premier Jeremy Rockliff was granted an early election by Governor Barbara Baker, just months after the March 2024 state poll.

The decision follows a no-confidence motion passed in the lower house last week, leaving the Liberal leader’s minority government in crisis.

The July election will mark the fourth time Tasmanians have been called to vote in just seven years, after early elections were also held in 2021 and 2024.

Governor Baker, who initially delayed her decision to consider all options, issued a statement on June 11 night confirming the dissolution of parliament.

“Notwithstanding the recent 2024 election, the public interest in avoiding the cost of another election and the prevailing public mood against holding an election, I have granted Premier Rockliff a dissolution,” she said.

“I make this grant because I am satisfied that there is no real possibility that an alternative government can be formed.”

Rockliff met with the governor on June 10 to request the early poll, five days after losing the confidence of parliament.

Premier to Remain Leader

Despite the political upheaval, Rockliff has rejected suggestions he should resign. He has maintained that he retains the full support of his colleagues and vowed to continue leading the Liberal Party into the election.

“I have a commitment from my team to support me as leader, and I am not going anywhere,” Rockliff said.

He also added that, “This is not driven by ego.”

Liberal MP Jacquie Petrusma backed Rockliff, saying, “The premier is a fantastic leader and he has 100 percent support of the PLP [parliamentary Liberal Party].”

Her comments came amid speculation that former Senator Eric Abetz and former Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson had leadership ambitions.

Labor Rules Out Deal With Greens

Opposition Leader Dean Winter met Baker earlier on June 11 to confirm Labor would not attempt to form government in coalition with the Greens.

“I reiterated my position that Labor will not be doing a deal with the Greens,” he said.

Winter’s no-confidence motion had passed with support from the Greens and three crossbench MPs.

Labor argues the motion was driven by the Liberal government’s poor handling of the budget and key infrastructure projects, not by political opportunism.

Rockliff has labelled the motion a “deceptive power grab.”

After winning just 14 seats in the March 2024 election, Rockliff’s Liberals had cobbled together a governing arrangement with crossbench support.

But the minority government proved short-lived, and voters will now be asked to decide Tasmania’s political future once again.

AAP contributed to this article.