Tasmania has officially announced the results of its snap election, with declaration of the poll ceremonies held across the state on Tuesday morning.
The events confirmed the 35 elected members of the House of Assembly with the final election writs expected to be returned to Governor Barbara Baker this week.
Under the Constitution Act, Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s Liberal ministry can remain in place for another week from that date, though an interim cabinet could be sworn in if no governing arrangement is reached.
Two weeks of counting have wrapped up with no clear majority.
The Liberals secured 14 seats, Labor 10, the Greens 5, and six went to independents and minor parties.
The final seat, in Bass, was won by independent George Razay by just 674 votes over Labor’s Geoff Lyons.
The result leaves both major parties short of the 18 seats needed for a majority.
To form government, the Liberals require support from four crossbenchers, Labor needs the Greens plus three others.
Mr Rockliff has indicated he’s prepared to govern in minority without formal confidence-and-supply agreements.
“Tasmanians have spoken. We have 14 seats, by far the most seats and while I would welcome individual members of parliament signing confidence and supply, we don’t need that to form a minority government,” he said on Sunday.
“The political games need to stop and we have to get on with the job.”
Mr Rockliff said on Sunday he would seek recommissioning of his government from the Governor.
The snap election followed a dramatic no-confidence motion in June that ended Mr Rockliff’s previous term, returning Tasmanians to the polls for the second time in 16 months.
Labor leader Dean Winter claimed the botched rollout of new Spirit of Tasmania vessels, the state of the budget and the controversial Macquarie Point Stadium project were examples of Mr Rockliff’s failed leadership.
https://thewest.com.au/news/tasmania-faces-hung-parliament-as-election-result-declared-c-19584588
