Just over a day after losing a no-confidence vote that has plunged his government into crisis, Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has scrapped plans to sell off state-owned businesses.
“There will be no privatisation under the Tasmanian Liberal Government,” Rockliff told Pulse.
“It is over. There will be no privatisation of any government-owned business under our Liberal government.”
The reversal comes as Tasmania faces a growing debt crisis, with borrowings expected to more than double from $5.3 billion to $10.8 billion in just four years and a $1.01 billion deficit forecast for 2025–26.
On Thursday, Rockliff lost a knife-edge no-confidence vote when Speaker Michelle O’Byrne sided with her Labor colleagues in a 17–17 tie, casting the deciding vote against the government.
Labor leader Dean Winter pointed to the proposed asset sales, budget blowouts and poor project management as reasons the public had lost faith in the Liberal government when putting the no-confidence motion forward.
About half a dozen government businesses had been under assessment for potential sale, including Metro Tasmania, the Motor Accidents Insurance Board, TasPorts and power network operator TasNetworks.
Hydro Tasmania was the first to be ruled out, followed by TasRail, TT-Line and others in last week’s state budget.
Rockliff blamed Labor for running a “deceitful campaign” and forcing a political showdown before economist Saul Eslake’s final assessment on any sale was due at the end of June.
“Tasmanians now know that Labor and its leadership cannot be trusted to act in the best interests of Tasmanians,” the premier said.
“Mr Winter is so desperate for power, he wanted to run a desperate scare campaign before Mr Eslake’s final report was handed down … and he probably still will.”
Winter hit back, accusing Rockliff of being the one in panic mode. “How pathetic has Jeremy Rockliff become?” he said.
“How could you ever believe him? He was talking up his privatisation plan on Thursday then pretending he didn’t believe in it on Friday.”
“This is an act of a desperate man who will do anything to cling to power. Tasmanians will never trust him not to sell our assets.”
Having lost the confidence vote, Rockliff is now expected to seek a snap election on Tuesday rather than stepping down, likely sending Tasmanians back to the polls for the second time in just over a year.
