Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has offered to work with Labor to form a minority government while announcing her party’s support for a no-confidence motion against Premier Jeremy Rockliff.
Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Woodruff said the Greens are ready to negotiate in good faith with Labor leader Dean Winter in a bid to avoid forcing Tasmania into another costly election.
“The Greens will work in good faith to form an arrangement of minority government,” she said. “We will work always in the best interests of Tasmanians.”
“We expect Dean Winter, now that he’s taken this step, to also put that first and foremost if the opportunity is handed to him.”
Woodruff said the Greens were supportive of the no-confidence motion, citing the premier’s “secrecy and arrogance” alongside his government’s moves toward privatisation and abandonment of treaty negotiations.
“Tasmanians do not and we do not have confidence in Jeremy Rockliff as premier,” she said.
But any alliance with Labor seems unlikely for now. Winter has repeatedly ruled out doing a deal with the Greens.
In April, when the Greens attempted to move a no-confidence motion against him, Winter said Labor would “never ever do a deal with the Greens” under his leadership.
“This morning’s childish stunt from the Greens has reminded Tasmania exactly why the Greens are not a serious party and Rosalie Woodruff is not a serious leader,” Winter said in April.
“They’re anti housing, anti-renewables, anti-development and anti-Tasmanian AFL team. The Greens are not a serious party.”
“I reaffirm Labor’s commitment today that we will never, ever do a deal with the Greens and they will never help form a Labor government in Tasmania.”
