Labor colleagues of Rebecca White have paid tribute to the outgoing leader for her years of service following the announcement of her resignation.
White quit the top job on Tuesday after seven years in the role, having failed to secure government in Saturday’s state election.
Her deputy, Anita Dow, said White “would have made an outstanding Premier”.
“Rebecca is one of the most intelligent, hard-working, tenacious and caring people I know and I have the utmost respect for her,” Dow said.
“She has been an outstanding leader of our team and the party is much stronger thanks to her tireless work and dedication over many years.”
Fellow frontbencher and the man tipped to be the next leader of the party, Dean Winter, described her as a relentless, tough and intelligent leader.
“There is no one who has worked harder, been tougher or put more into the Tasmanian ALP … The thing that sets her apart from anyone I’ve ever worked with is her work ethic. She never stops working and never gives up,” he said.
Labor Bass MHA Janie Finlay acknowledged White’s sacrifices and relentless fight for Tasmania, while Michelle O’Byrne highlighted the challenges of leadership in politics and expressed hopes for White to have time with her family.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff described White as a true Labor believer and acknowledged the personal sacrifices that come with the role of opposition leader.
“While we have not always agreed on certain matters, I have always respected Ms White for her commitment to such a challenging task and her dedication to duty,” he said.
White will remain in parliament and represent her electorate of Lyons.
