Tasmania's Premier Jeremy Rockliff has announced his intention to request an early election from the governor tomorrow, citing the need for stability and certainty amidst ongoing political turmoil.
The decision comes after Rockliff issued an ultimatum to two former Liberal backbenchers, Lara Alexander and John Tucker, who quit the party last May, resulting in a minority government situation. Rockliff sought to secure a new, stricter agreement with the defectors to ensure stability for Tasmanians, but his proposal was rejected by Alexander and Tucker.
Following discussions with his parliamentary Liberal team, Rockliff concluded that calling a general election was the only viable path forward to restore stability to Tasmania's government.
"This afternoon I met with my team to discuss the failure of former Liberal MPs John Tucker and Lara Alexander to commit to a new, enduring agreement."
"It was unanimously agreed that in the light of this, it was appropriate for me to request the governor to call a general election," Rockliff stated in a released statement.
"The only way to restore the stability and certainty Tasmanians need is to re-elect a majority Liberal government."
The only way to restore the stability and certainty Tasmanians need is to re-elect a majority Liberal Government.
— Jeremy Rockliff (@jeremyrockliff) February 13, 2024
The next scheduled election was not due until May 2025, but Rockliff asserted that the presence of independent members in parliament had rendered it unworkable. Despite having an agreement with the independents to guarantee government supply and confidence, Rockliff expressed dissatisfaction, alleging that Alexander and Tucker had failed to uphold their end of the bargain.
The tipping point comes after Tucker's recent threat in January to "bring down the government" over concerns regarding mandatory CCTV in abattoirs and the AFL high-performance center.
On social media, Rockliff reiterated his decision to call for an early election, emphasizing the necessity of re-electing a majority Liberal government to ensure stability for Tasmania.
The announcement sets the stage for a potentially contentious electoral campaign.
