Labor leader Dean Winter must concede defeat and abandon any bid to form government with the Greens, Braddon Liberal Felix Ellis says.
Ellis said Tasmanians had “clearly spoken” by handing Labor its worst result in a century, with its lowest-ever primary vote under the Hare-Clark electoral system.
“It is time for Dean Winter to do the right thing and to concede,” Ellis said.
“The Tasmanian people have been very clear about the need for a government to deliver certainty and stability. It’s time to get on with that.”
The Liberal frontbencher accused Winter of backflipping on pre-election commitments by signalling a willingness to talk with the Greens about confidence and supply – despite ruling out any deals during the campaign.
Winter yesterday reaffirmed his opposition to doing a deal with the Greens, saying he would allow the Liberals the first opportunity to form government.
Liberal leader Jeremy Rockliff, meanwhile, said today he would begin meeting with all elected crossbenchers next week.
“We do not necessarily need confidence and supply agreements to proceed,” Ellis said.
“It’s only incumbent upon the independents to not vote for a vote of no confidence so that we can proceed.”
When asked about his combative style in parliament and past criticisms of some crossbench MPs as ‘radical left-wing activists’, Ellis said the Liberals had worked “extremely collaboratively” during the previous term.
“That’s perhaps the most disappointing thing about Dean Winter’s selfish grab for power, is that the parliament generally speaking was working quite well,” he said.
“Not everyone was getting 100% of everything that they wanted. People got wins right across the parliament … that’s what we could achieve over the course of the next four years with a collaborative parliament.”
“The Tasmanian people have spoken. They’ve re-elected the Rockliff Liberal government and Dean Winter needs to get out of the way and move on.”
