The Tasmanian Premier, Lara Giddings, has called a state election for March the 15th.
Ms Giddings ended months of speculation today when she sacked her two Greens cabinet ministers and visited Governor Peter Underwood.
The Greens have held ministries since 2010 when the minority government was formed.
Ms Giddings says Parliament will be recalled on January 28 to remove legal threats around the former Gunns pulp mill project which is up for sale.
Greens MP Kim Booth is understood to be considering moving a no-confidence motion in the Premier to prevent the legislation being debated.
If the move is supported by the Liberals it means Tasmanians could get an even earlier election.
Ms Giddings has also ruled out future power-sharing deals with the Greens.
Ms Giddings thanked the Greens for working with her Government but said Labor wanted to govern in its own right.
She says she is proud of the achievements in portfolios which were held by the Greens but the electorate has told her the arrangement should end.
“The vast majority of people have said to me ‘Lara, you’ve got to get rid of the Greens’,” she said.
“We have come to a logical end to this arrangement, and it’s absolutely important that we focus on the future.”
South Australians are also due to go to the polls on March 15.
EARLIER:
Tasmanian Premier sacks Greens, visits Governor as election date speculation mounts
The Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings has sacked the Greens from cabinet, as a day of drama unfolds.
The ABC understands the Premier called Greens leader Nick McKim and fellow Greens minister Cassy O’Connor into her office this morning.
Ms Giddings is believed to have told them they are no longer needed as ministers and their commission will be terminated as of tomorrow.
Mr McKim is Tasmania’s Education and Corrections Minister; Ms O’Connor holds the portfolios of Human Services, Climate Change and Aboriginal Affairs.
The Premier has also visited the Governor this morning, but her office would not say why.
It has been widely tipped Ms Giddings will announce the state election date this afternoon.
She is scheduled to make a statement at 2pm.
• Matthew Denholm, The Australian: Greens MP (Booth) set to bring down Giddings
• Leonard Colquhoun, in Comments: A “day of drama”? More like badly scripted tragicomedy, or bad burlesque masquerading as farce. Surely, not even Actors Equity would have this mob as members?
• Mercury: Palmer United Party pushing Kevin Morgan for “premier of Tasmania”
• Australian Christian Lobby: ACL looks to post-Greens future for Tasmania
• Nick McKim MP, Tasmanian Greens Leader: This is just the beginning
• Rodney Croome: Advocates to seek election cdommitment to a more inclusive Tasmania
• Forget the politics, show us the policies – TFGA
• John Hawkins, in Comments: The Two Greens in a mindless Brain dead Labor cabinet were the shining intellectual light on the Hill and that is not a beacon but a candle. They kept the Bastards honest. Labor will now be wiped out; they listened to Brenton Best … their box of matches at the back of the Dunny. The Liberals with even less ability within their ranks will be wiped in. Who will save us from these treasonable fools? Recall Parliament to flout the law. Give us a break.
• Lara Giddings: Election Date Set but More Governing to Do
• Lara Giddings: Parliament to be recalled
• Lara Giddings: Labor’s agreement with the Greens at an end
• AMA calls for policy commitments in wake of State Election announcement
• Peter Gutwein, Sunday Tasmanian: Brutal reality of forest future
• Friends of the Tamar Valley and Pulp the Mill: Steadfast community opposition to pulp mill remain
• Stop Tamar Valley Pulp Mill Rally: 22nd January from 6-7.30pm. Tailrace, Waterfront Dr, Riverside
• John Lawrence, Tasfintalk: When Gunns first entered voluntary administration 15 months ago it seemed as if the secured creditors (the banks) would get most of what they were owed. It didn’t much matter if the pulp mill permit was worthless; there was enough value in Gunns’ other assets to ensure the banks were repaid.Creditors and shareholders wouldn’t get anything. KordaMentha the receivers in control of most of Gunns’s assets acted for the banks and didn’t care about others: growers, creditors, the people of Tasmania. Their mission was to ensure there was enough in the pool to cover their fees and to pay the banks.But with every passing day throughout the insolvency administration period the banks’ shortfall has been increasing. Read the full article, here
• Bob Brown: Giddings overlorded by the silliest man in Parliament
