Tasmania's lower house has passed a no-confidence motion in Premier Jeremy Rockliff, which means Tasmanians will likely be required to vote in a state election next month.
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Speaking after a vote intended to boot him from the leadership chair, Mr Rockliff said: "I will not let Labor party choose the leader of the Liberal party."
Ahead of the vote, Mr Rockliff said that should the motion succeed, he would have no choice but to visit Government House to seek an election.
Another option would be for Labor leader Dean Winter to be called upon to form government with the crossbench, but he has refused to enter into a deal with the Greens.
During a break from debate during the day, he said it was his job as opposition leader to stand up for Tasmanians who needed a better government.
Labor's no-confidence motion passed 18 votes to 17, with Speaker Michelle O'Byrne casting her vote in the affirmative.
She said by convention, the speaker could vote with impartiality and against party lines, but with conscience.
Ms O'Byrne said she had considered the passage of the budget to support public services and sending Tasmanians to an election so soon after the last.
She also acknowledged that she recognised that the election would cause disruption to progress on the Macquarie Point stadium and the Tasmanian AFL team.
In summing up the debate, Mr Winter said net debt was under $1 billion when Mr Rockliff became premier in 2022, but is projected to reach close to $11 billion in 2028-29.
"Labor, absolutely and wholeheartedly, needs to stand for sensible budget management," he said.
"We need to stand for that first and foremost, and in order to do that, we need to stop asset sales."
Mr Winter said the current budget's trajectory would make it harder for any future government to get ahead.
After the vote, Mr Rockliff took to his feet and said it was a sad day for Tasmania.
"It is a sad day as well because I put a lot on the line for this parliament," he said.
Mr Rockliff said he believed his minority government could work, and it was how parliament should work.
"It wasn't easy to get a 35-seat parliament over the line, but I believed it was the right thing to do," he said.
"That's why I'm so disappointed, if not brokenhearted frankly, of what the Tasmanian people who elected us in March 2024 to work together.
"And yes, not everything's gone to plan."
Mr Rockliff's contribution then turned towards Mr Winter, whom he described as being reckless in bringing on the no-confidence motion to bring him and his government down.
"The leader of the opposition has not only diminished this parliament, but himself and his party," he said.
"And you might get rid of me, mate, but I tell you what, they're coming for you as well, because you will always be known as a wrecker."
