Slim pickings for weak, desperate Liberals

Tasmanian Labor

Premier Jeremy Rockliff needs to confirm whether his candidate for the seat of Franklin, former Huon Valley Mayor Bec Enders, will contest the recount for the seat of Franklin following the resignation of Jacquie Petrusma.

The resignation of Ms Petrusma – the fourth government minister to go in a year – has deepened the Liberals’ chaos and disunity and left the Premier looking increasingly weak and desperate to find decent candidates who are willing to join his fractured party.

With James Walker ruling himself out, it is unclear who will be contesting the recount.

If Ms Enders is the frontrunner, Tasmanians have a right to know and they have a right to know precisely what she stands for.

Is Ms Enders still in the Liberal Party? Is Mr Rockliff satisfied that she will sit as a Liberal and maintain the government’s majority if she is successful.

Of the four government ministers to resign over the past year, three have left Parliament altogether, with another Liberal MP resigning from Parliament just one day after being elected.

While Jeremy Rockliff tries to keep his party from imploding, he is not getting the basics right. Struggling Tasmanians, who are paying the price, deserve so much better.

Dean Winter MP

Leader of Opposition Business

/Public Release. View in full here.