Tasmania’s Hung Parliament Hinges on Crossbench After Razay’s Bass Victory

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Independent George Razay secured the final seat in Bass, as confirmed by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission on August 2, 2025, leaving both major parties short of a majority and Tasmania’s government in the hands of crossbenchers.

On August 2, 2025, the Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC) finalized the results of the July 19 state election, confirming that Independent George Razay, a Launceston physician and vocal opponent of the proposed Hobart Australian Football League (AFL) stadium, won the seventh seat in the Bass electorate. The outcome leaves the Liberal Party with 14 seats and the Australian Labor Party (ALP) with 10 in the 35-seat House of Assembly, both falling short of the 18 seats needed for a majority. With five Greens, five independents, and one Shooters, Fishers and Farmers (SFF) member, the crossbench now holds the balance of power in a hung parliament.

Razay, a City of Launceston councillor and geriatrician at Launceston General Hospital, surged ahead in a tight race, bolstered by preferences from excluded candidates, including former Jacqui Lambie Network (JLN) member Rebekah Pentland. The ALP’s Jess Greene also secured a seat in Bass, replacing retiring MP Michelle O’Byrne, while the Liberals retained three seats led by former federal MP Bridget Archer. ABC chief elections analyst Casey Briggs described the Bass contest as “extraordinarily complicated,” noting the pivotal role of SFF preferences in Razay’s victory.

Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff, facing a no-confidence threat from independent Craig Garland, who has ruled out supporting the Liberals, must secure four of the five remaining crossbenchers to govern, as the Liberals refuse to work with the Greens. ALP leader Dean Winter, potentially backed by the Greens and Garland, needs just two additional crossbenchers to form a minority government. Independent Kristie Johnston highlighted the importance of a Treasury briefing on August 4 to guide her decision, while David O’Byrne, Peter George, and SFF’s Carlo Di Falco remain undecided.

The result underscores Tasmania’s political volatility, with four elections in seven years prompting calls for fixed four-year terms. Opposition figures, including Liberal MP Mark Speakman, argue the reliance on independents risks instability, urging a focus on economic priorities like job creation and infrastructure. The TEC will formally declare the results on August 5, with negotiations ongoing to determine Tasmania’s next government.