Labor Plans New No-Confidence Vote as Rockliff Regains Premiership

Download IPFS

Tasmanian Opposition Leader Dean Winter, representing the Australian Labor Party (ALP), has pledged to table another no-confidence motion against Premier Jeremy Rockliff, who was reappointed on August 6, 2025, following a hung parliament election, setting the stage for renewed political tension.

Tasmanian politics faces fresh turmoil as Australian Labor Party (ALP) leader Dean Winter announced plans for a new no-confidence motion against Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff, who was reappointed by Governor Barbara Baker on August 6, 2025, after a July 19 election yielded another hung parliament. The election saw the Liberal Party secure 14 seats, ALP 10, and 11 crossbench seats, leaving no party with the 18 needed for a majority in the House of Assembly. Winter, citing the need for a stable government, said the motion, to be moved when parliament reconvenes on August 19, aims to test Rockliff’s ability to govern, per ABC News.

The move follows a successful no-confidence vote against Rockliff in June 2025, which triggered the snap election. That motion, passed 18-17 with Speaker Michelle O’Byrne’s deciding vote, criticized Rockliff’s handling of a $10.8 billion debt forecast by 2028-29, the Spirit of Tasmania ferry delays, and potential privatization plans. Winter argued that Rockliff’s leadership risks financial ruin, stating, “Tasmanians deserve a government that’s competent and won’t wreck the budget,” according to 9News.

Rockliff, defiant after his reappointment, expressed confidence in leading a minority government, telling reporters he believes sensible collaboration with the crossbench will ensure stability. Governor Baker, justifying her decision, stated, “It is better for confidence to be determined inside and not outside the parliament,” emphasizing Rockliff’s incumbency rights. However, Winter’s renewed challenge, backed by potential crossbench support from independents and the Greens, threatens Rockliff’s grip on power. Winter has ruled out forming a government with the Greens but plans to negotiate with all crossbenchers, including the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, to secure stability without another election.

The ongoing saga has sparked public frustration, with some Tasmanians, calling Labor’s tactics a “greedy grab for power” that backfired. As parliament prepares to reconvene, the no-confidence motion looms as a critical test for Rockliff’s leadership and Tasmania’s political stability.