Three key independents say they will not be “pressured or railroaded” as negotiations begin over who will form Tasmania’s next government.
Independents Craig Garland, Kristie Johnston and Peter George made it clear on Thursday they will set their own timeline for what are expected to be complex discussions.
“Any suggestion that only one major party has a mandate to form government is simply incorrect,” they said in a joint statement, pushing back on comments made by Premier Jeremy Rockliff earlier in the week.
Saturday’s election delivered a hung parliament, with both major parties falling short of the 18 seats needed for a majority in the 35-seat House of Assembly.
Despite presenting a united front in their statement, the three MPs stressed they remain independent operators.
“We want to be clear that we are not indicating a formal or informal alliance together,” they said.
The trio laid out a series of expectations for the negotiation process, including continued access to government briefings and departmental information.
They also requested access to the “whole-of-state business case for the Marinus project”, a key electricity interconnector between Tasmania and Victoria.
The crossbenchers flagged plans to consult independent experts on economic and governance issues before making any decisions.
“While informal discussions have begun, we will not begin formal negotiations with either major party until the results of the House of Assembly election are confirmed,” they said.
That is not expected for at least another week, according to the Tasmanian Electoral Commission.
“Good faith, mutual respect and trust are essential foundations for any successful negotiation and for the stability of any power-sharing arrangement,” they said.
“Now is the time to set the tone for the next parliament.”
“So, while we appreciate the public and media interest in this process and the need for transparency, in order to demonstrate trust, good faith and respect during these discussions, we will only be providing updates with the prior agreement of all involved.”
“We expect the same approach from the major parties if they are also committed to negotiating with us in good faith.”
Labor leader Dean Winter, in his first public appearance since Sunday, said the Liberals would get the first shot – but that Labor was ready to step in if Rockliff couldn’t get the numbers.
All sides have said the next parliament must be “stable” and able to function.
