Premier Jeremy Rockliff says Labor leader Dean Winter should concede defeat in the state election, after the Greens yesterday declared they have no confidence in Labor to form government at this time.
Speaking in Launceston, Rockliff said Winter was continuing to play “political games” that are keeping the government in caretaker mode.
“Mr Winter, you lost the election. Labor received its lowest vote since 1903,” Rockliff said.
“Do yourself, do your Labor party but most importantly do Tasmanians a favour and concede.”
“I know supporters of the Labor Party are saying ‘enough is enough Dean’. Do yourself a favour, particularly for Tasmanians and concede.”
Rockliff said Tasmanians were telling him they wanted the political bickering to end and the parliament to get back to work.
“If Mr Winter conceded today – and in the minds of most Tasmanians I believe he should – we will still reach out and talk to the crossbench … all members of parliament, including the Greens, on how best to make parliament work and their ideas for Tasmania as well,” he said.
“And so even if Mr Winter conceded, I would welcome the opportunity to continue very good and positive discussions with all members of parliament including the crossbench.”
Without the Greens’ backing, Labor’s planned no-confidence motion to be moved when parliament resumes next Tuesday is likely to fall flat.
With 10 Labor MPs, even if the party secured the support of all five independents and the one Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP, it would still be two votes short of the 18 needed to topple the government.
Winter said it will be up to the parliament to decide who should be Tasmania’s premier.
“Tasmania’s premier must hold the confidence of the House of Assembly. Right now, Jeremy Rockliff does not and he will need to prove he has the confidence of the house next week,” Winter said in a statement.
“The cross bench have a choice to make between Jeremy Rockliff and Eric Abetz, whose approach has trashed Tasmania’s budget and racked up $13 billion in net debt or a Labor government and Ruth Forrest, with a plan to fix the budget and restore trust in politics.”
