Labor leader Dean Winter has offered the treasurer’s job to independent MLC Ruth Forrest in a bold bid to secure crossbench backing and form Tasmania’s next government.
The move sidelines Labor’s treasury spokesman Josh Willie and shows Winter is determined to lock in support ahead of the crucial August 19 no-confidence vote in the Liberal government.
Forrest, the independent MLC for Murchison, has agreed to take the role if Labor wins the numbers.
It comes after independent Peter George, whose support Labor needs to form government, previously floated the idea of appointing an independent to the treasury role.
“As the most recent chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Ms Forrest has a tremendous understanding of the enormity of the task at hand, and the ins-and-outs of the position Tasmania’s budget finds itself in,” Winter said in a statement.
With net debt forecast to hit $13 billion, Winter said fixing the budget would be “the greatest challenge ahead for the next parliament”.
Forrest agrees that urgent action is needed.
“Fixing Tasmania’s fiscal mess should be the first order of business for this parliament,” she said.
“It has been a core area of my focus for a number of years now and I welcome the opportunity to play an active role in turning the ship around.”
She stressed she would keep her independence in parliament but follow cabinet solidarity rules if appointed.
“I look forward to implementing my knowledge and relationships across the parliament to get better outcomes for Tasmania,” she said.
The Liberals this week retired Guy Barnett as treasurer and replaced him with Eric Abetz.
