Premier Jeremy Rockliff's weak leadership has taken yet another blow, and things aren't looking any easier for him in the weeks ahead.
After the Tasmanian Liberal vote collapsed at the federal election, this weekend they lost ground in the state's North-West and even lost their Hobart heartland of Sandy Bay.
Many Liberals won't have forgotten that the Premier let his former Leader of Government Business in the Legislative Council campaign against his own government in Montgomery.
The Legislative Council results confirm that voters across Tasmania have had enough of the Liberals' incompetence and their reckless mismanagement of the state's finances.
With the Minority Rockliff Government's mounting debt problem expected to worsen in this week's State Budget, and the Premier's disastrous handling of the stadium project placing Tasmania's AFL teams at risk, it's a rocky road ahead for Jeremy Rockliff.
There will no doubt be very serious questions being asked of the Premier from his caucus about whether the direction he is taking the party in is the right one.
While it looked like a long-shot when he first entered Parliament, the ambitious Mr Abetz will be emboldened today as his chances of becoming leader grow stronger by the day.
Josh Willie MP
Shadow Treasurer
