Most Tasmanians are crying out for majority government, new polling has found, as seat projections point to yet another hung parliament.
A recent poll by DemosAU, commissioned by a peak body and obtained exclusively by Pulse, shows 61% of voters want a majority government.
The poll also found Jeremy Rockliff’s Liberals are leading the race to form government, with 40% backing the party to deliver majority compared to 32% for Dean Winter’s Labor.
Seat estimates from voter intentions suggest the Liberals will secure just 12-15 seats in the 35-seat House of Assembly, well short of the 18 needed to govern alone.
DemosAU is tipping Labor will claim 8-11 seats, while the Greens are expected to win 4-6 seats.
Independents, Tasmanian Nationals and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidates could snag up to eight seats between them.
Jeremy Rockliff remains in the lead as Tasmania’s preferred premier with 41% of the vote, while 32% opted for Dean Winter and 27% weren’t sure.
The polling reveals unease about Green involvement in government, with 51% of voters expressing concern about a coalition arrangement compared to just 30% who are neutral or supportive.
Tasmanians appear slightly more comfortable with independent crossbenchers holding sway, with only 34% concerned about their involvement while 38% are neutral or would welcome it.
The regional breakdown shows Liberal support is strongest in Braddon and Lyons, while independents are tipped to perform well in Clark and Franklin.
Labor could make gains in Lyons, and the Greens are expected to perform best in the Hobart CBD electorate of Clark.
Even on their best projected numbers, the Liberals would still need crossbench support to govern – the exact scenario most voters want to avoid.
The poll was conducted between June 19 and 26 with a sample size of 4,289 people.
With neither major party in a position to deliver the clear majority most Tasmanians say they want, the state looks set for another hung parliament.
In the last parliament, the Liberals held 14 seats, Labor 10 and the Greens five.
The remaining seats were held by independents and what was then the Jacqui Lambie Network.
