A Tasmanian state election could be imminent as an independent MP whose vote props up the minority Liberal government announces he cannot work under “extreme” terms forced upon him by the premier.
Last week Premier Jeremy Rockliff issued Liberal-turned-independent MPs John Tucker and Lara Alexander with an ultimatum — sign a new, more restrictive agreement, or risk an early election.
In separate letters to the rogue MPs, Mr Rockliff wrote that the parliament had become “unworkable” and that he would not accept their “my way or the highway” approach.
On Thursday, after a week of silence, Mr Tucker said Mr Rockliff’s terms for the new agreement were so extreme that he could only conclude that he had already decided to call an election but needed a scapegoat.
The independents and the premier will hold their weekly meeting on Friday, and Mr Tucker said he was happy to negotiate to avoid an early election.
He would not say on what point he was willing to budge but that he was still “hopeful”.
In May last year, the pair left the Liberal Party for the crossbench, aggrieved over transparency surrounding the proposed AFL stadium in Hobart and the Marinus Link undersea power cable deal, thrusting the government into minority.
The premier averted an early election at the time by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with them, guaranteeing their support in the face of a no-confidence motion, and their backing of the state budget.
It has been a bumpy ride since, with both MPs frequently airing frustrations with the government and supporting opposition motions — but it seems a threat by Mr Tucker to “bring down the government” was the last straw for Mr Rockliff.
Last month, Mr Tucker announced he would move a motion of no confidence when parliament resumes in March unless it meets his demands — making CCTV in abattoirs mandatory, and halting all AFL projects until the Macquarie Point stadium passed parliament.
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In his letters, the premier wrote that Mr Tucker’s threat and Ms Alexander’s comments that she would “strongly consider” a no-confidence motion, had forced him to reflect on the current MOU and “the best way forward for Tasmania”.
The original agreement already prevented the duo from supporting legislation brought by Labor or the Greens without first discussing it with the government, but the new terms extend to include other independent bills, motions or amendments, but they can still propose their own bills and amendments.
The premier made it clear that policy outcomes were “not up for negotiation” — be it as part of the agreement or on the floor of parliament afterwards in return for continuing confidence and supply.
‘I will never, ever sign up to be handcuffed, muzzled and sidelined’
On Thursday, Mr Tucker held a press conference and said the premier was asking he and Ms Alexander to turn themselves into “nothing more than a rubber stamp for government decisions”.
He said agreeing with the terms would make him a “willing accomplice in the trashing of democratic principles”.
“His demand that we sit quietly in the corner until we are told what we can and cannot do by the boys’ club is a reminder of why we left the Liberal Party in the first place,” he said.
“I will never, ever sign up to be handcuffed, muzzled and sidelined from any meaningful contribution to the parliament.
“I will not provide continued confidence and supply to a government which seeks to impose minority rule over the majority.”
Mr Tucker said he was happy with the current MOU arrangement, and Mr Rockliff must honour it if he wants to avoid an early election.
His response echoes that of Ms Alexander, who responded on Friday, saying the terms went “against the grain of being an independent” and reduced her position to “less than a backbencher”.
She said she should be able to support good policy, regardless of its origin.
“I am pleased that John has joined me in rejecting utterly the premier’s demand that we abandon our electorates and pledge only to serve the interests of the Liberal Party,” she said.
The next election is scheduled for May 2025, but with the independents and the premier at an impasse, it could be called any day.
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