Dean Winter has fired the starting gun on Labor’s election campaign, declaring it a “fight for Tasmania’s future” as the party looks to end its decade in opposition.
“Tasmanian Labor and the entire labour movement is ready to go,” he said.
“Tasmania needs a fresh start and they need a plan for a fresh start. That’s what we’re going to be offering Tasmania. It has been 11 years of Liberals.”
Winter believes Tasmania deserves better after more than a decade under the Liberals and has pitched Labor as the “competent government”, promising to unveil a policy platform that has been in development for the past year.
“At this election, Tasmanian Labor will take a full suite of policies that are ready to go. We are ready to provide the change that Tasmania needs,” he said.
The campaign launch comes as Labor tries to return to power after losing government to Will Hodgman’s Liberals in 2014, ending what was then 16 years of Labor rule.
The party governed with a majority from 1998 to 2010, then formed a coalition with the Greens from 2010 to 2014 under premiers David Bartlett and later Lara Giddings.
Winter said their full slate of 35 candidates across the state’s five electorates will soon be released, with all current Labor MPs to recontest their seats.
“I’m really excited about the diversity of the people that we’re seeking to pre-select and put up for election. People who’ve got life experience from the community sector, workers, business people,” he said.
The Labor leader said he is focused on backing major industries such as salmon farming and forestry, growing state-owned businesses, energy production and preventing privatisation.
He said voters want to see “a battle of ideas” this election and not parties throwing around “hundreds of millions of dollars”.
“They want to see a Tasmanian Labor Party that has got a plan for our future, a plan for the change that we need and that’s what we’re planning to give them,” Winter said.
When pressed on potential coalition arrangements, Winter left the door open to working with independents but firmly ruled out any deals with the Greens.
“We are campaigning for government and we won’t be doing any deals with the Greens,” he said.
“We need to make sure we can win as many seats as possible so that we can form a government and provide the change that Tasmania needs.”
Tasmania will head to the polls on Saturday, July 19.
