The Liberal government has regained the reins in Tasmania after weeks of political limbo but looks likely to face another no-confidence motion this month.
After a snap election with no clear majority winner, Premier Jeremy Rockliff met Governor Barbara Baker at Government House on Wednesday asking to recommission his minority government.
Baker said in a statement that she accepted the request after Rockliff told her he expected to gain the confidence of the lower house.
“In a hung parliament, where no one clearly holds the confidence of the majority of the House of Assembly, the incumbent has the right to remain in office in order to test the numbers in the House of Assembly and for Parliament to have the final say in who should be Premier,” the Governor said.
“I consider the convention of incumbency applies in the current circumstances. I shall reappoint the Premier.”
She added that it was “better for confidence to be determined inside and not outside the Parliament”.
However, Tasmanian Labor leader Dean Winter confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that a motion of no-confidence in Rockliff’s government would be moved when parliament returns on August 19.
“Whether it’s by us or an independent, a motion will be moved in parliament of no-confidence in the Liberals and confidence in a Labor government,” he told media in Hobart.
Winter said there needed to be a change in the way parliament worked, “and we need to change the government”.
“The crossbench has seen the way that the government led by Jeremy Rockliff has been operating now for the past 15 months in particular, but even longer than that. It has been a lack of consultation, lack of respect… It is clear we need a parliament that will work together.”
Rockliff said the new cabinet will be sworn in early next week, and the new Parliament will sit the following week.
“Looking forward to continuing positive conversations with MPs as to how we can better work together for Tasmania,” he posted on X. “So together, we can get on with it.”
This morning Her Excellency, the Governor has recommissioned me as Premier.
A new cabinet will be sworn in early next week, and the new Parliament will sit the following week.
Looking forward to continuing positive conversations with MPs as to how we can better work together…
— Jeremy Rockliff (@jeremyrockliff) August 6, 2025
But Rockliff is yet to secure any formal verbal or written agreements of support from non-Liberals, and there is also no guarantee his government would survive a future no-confidence motion.
“What is important is that a government is reformed,” he told reporters in Hobart.
“A government that is able to govern on the floor of the house and a cross bench of course, that works with the government.”
The premier said he had learnt from the previous parliament, which ended when his government failed a no-confidence vote and prompted the state’s second election in 16 months.
The final makeup of Tasmania’s parliament is 14 Liberals, 10 Labor, five Greens, one Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP and five independents. One independent and the Greens have ruled out supporting a Liberal government.
Rockliff and his cabinet are set to be sworn in next week, before state parliament returns on August 19.
A key sticking point Tasmania politics continues to be major parties backing a new $1 billion stadium in Hobart, which the Greens and some independents oppose.
–with AAP
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