Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has secured the support of the Jacqui Lambie Network to form minority government, more than two weeks after he failed to win the state election outright.
Neither the Liberals nor Labor won the 18 seats needed to form a majority at March 23 poll
But despite the Liberals suffering a 12 swing per cent against it, Mr Rockliff was able to claim the win after Labor conceded hours after polls closed.
Mr Rockliff had reached out to independents and the Jacqui Lambie Network to try to secure a stable minority government.
On Wednesday, the newly elected Braddon MP Miriam Beswick, Lyons MP Andrew Jenner and Bass MP Rebekah Pentland agreed to support the Liberals while they navigate the next four years.
Mr Rockliff said the three JLN MPs had agreed to “provide confidence on all confidence and censure votes, guarantee supply to support all appropriation and revenue bills, and support the government on parliamentary motions that bind the government”.
“All parties have entered into this agreement with goodwill and trust, and I am confident that this agreement will provide the long-term certainty that Tasmania needs and deserves,” Mr Rockliff said on X, formally known as Twitter.
“A big thanks to the JLN for the productive and collaborative approach that they have taken as we have worked towards an agreement.”
The JLN said it recognised the “importance of providing a stable government and a workable parliament for the benefit of the people of Tasmania”.
“The three new MPs are fully committed to delivering on their promise to ensure greater transparency, accountability and integrity in our parliament,” the statement read.
“They look forward to working with the Rockliff Government to serve the best interests of all Tasmanians.”
To secure the support, the two parties were able to come to an agreement on the following:
- the implementation of the recommendations from the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings
- an independent review of state finances and the proposed AFL stadium
- political donation reform
- a “beefed up” Integrity Commission
- reviewing and strengthening Right To Information processes.
More than 400,000 Tasmanians voted for 167 candidates in the election for the 35-seat parliament.
Tasmania uses the Hare-Clarke system, which sees seven MPs elected in each of the state’s five electorates.
In February, Mr Rockliff called the snap early election in an effort to try to shore up a majority for the Liberals.
The Liberal Party has been in minority government since May 2023 after two of its MPs quit the party to sit on the cross benches.