Peter Gutwein Resigns as Premier, MHA for Bass

Media release – Peter Gutwein, Premier, 4 April 2022

Statement from the Premier

I am today announcing that I will be resigning as Premier of Tasmania and Member for Bass.

First and foremost, I wish to thank my family, my wife Mandy, son Finn and daughter Millie, for their support and love.

No Premier does this job alone, and you have all been outstanding in your support, and Mandy for 20 years, you have allowed me the opportunity to serve Tasmania, at times at great sacrifice to our family, and I thank you for that.

It has been an honour and privilege to serve as Tasmania’s 46th Premier, however, the time is now right for me to move on and to attend to other things in my life.

The past two years have delivered unforeseen challenges, as we have navigated through COVID-19 and focused on rebuilding a stronger Tasmania.

During this time I have quite rightly focused on everyone else’s family and I now want to spend some time focussing on my own.

I sincerely want to thank all Tasmanians. I’m not a silver spooner, I come from a humble background and nothing has given me more pleasure than being able to support our community, especially those who, like me, come from less privileged backgrounds.

Thanks to the broader Tasmanian community for the support and for working with me when it was needed over the last few years. Together we have saved hundreds, if not thousands of Tasmanian lives, and that is something that all Tasmanians should be very proud of.

I wish to thank all of my colleagues for their incredible support and efforts over the past two years whilst I have been Premier – I could not have had a more supportive Cabinet and parliamentary team.

Tasmania is in good shape and the team I leave behind has safe hands, a great depth of experience and importantly talent.

I extend my deepest gratitude to the Liberal Party and to the people of Bass, who have enabled me this incredible opportunity and entrusted me to represent them in Parliament for the past 20 years.

I would like to thank all my incredible staff both in the north and on level 11 in Hobart, especially Andrew Finch, who have all gone above and beyond in their roles to support our priorities as a Government.

I leave with the comfort of knowing Tasmania is in far better shape than when we first came to Government in 2014.

When I became Premier, I said I wanted to lead a Government of compassion and conviction, where Tasmanians – no matter their background or circumstance – could grasp the opportunities ahead.

And whilst there will always be challenges, to have one of the fastest growing economies in the country, along with record employment and a budget that is in good shape as we come out of a worldwide pandemic, these are things that I am immensely proud of.

I wish to recognise the efforts of the two Departmental Secretaries that I worked most closely with –Jenny Gale and Tony Ferrall – thank you.

I want to thank all of the Tasmanian Government staff, who have demonstrated an ability to rise to the challenges of the pandemic, and swiftly scale programs to help Tasmanians and businesses at a time when it was needed most.

I sincerely thank the COVID management team that I have worked very closely with, Darren Hine, Donna Adams, Katherine Morgan-Wicks, Dale Webster and especially Dr Veitch and his public health team of Dr Scott McKeown and Dr Julie Graham. Their work has been nothing short of outstanding.

Our response to COVID was the best in the country, and by any measure it has worked.
Tasmania emerged from a worldwide pandemic with a nation-leading economy. Jobs are at a record high and the unemployment rate at a near-record low.

However, without doubt, the greatest highlight for me as Premier, has been the courage and compassion of Tasmanians.

There is nowhere like here in the world, and the examples of common humanity and kindness I have witnessed over the past two years will stay with me for the rest of my life.

I have advised the Governor of my decision, and I will remain as Premier until the party elects a new leader, which will take place at the end of this week.

As I am also resigning as member for Bass, and given there will need to be a recount, I will be providing advice to the Governor to prorogue Parliament next week to allow this process to take place.

The parliament will resume as quickly as possible after Easter and the days lost will be made up as quickly as possible.

Finally and once again and most importantly, I wish to thank my family. My wife Mandy, son Finn and daughter Millie, whose unwavering support and love have provided me with enormous strength.

It is now my time to prioritise them.

I know that I leave the State in a good place and with a team who can build on the foundations I have laid.

Goodbye and thank you to all Tasmanians.

Media release – Rebecca White MP, Labor Leader, 4 April 2022

Statement on Premier

I thank Peter Gutwein for his service to the people of Tasmania.

Mr Gutwein has served the people of Bass for 20 years.

Mr Gutwein has governed through some of the most difficult times as Tasmanian faced the scourge of COVID-19.

I wish him and his family well for the future.

Media release – Dean Winter MP, Leader of Opposition Business in the House of Assembly, 4 April March 2022

Promised stability out the door as Liberal Government implodes

The resignation of Premier Peter Gutwein is symbolic of a chaotic government in disarray.

Following the resignations of Adam Brooks and Sarah Courtney, the Premier’s sudden announcement that he is quitting shows a government that has imploded.

The resignation also follows multiple Cabinet reshuffles with the resignations of Ms Courtney and former Minister Jane Howlett.

The wheels have well and truly fallen off a Liberal Government that promised Tasmanians stability at the state election and since has delivered anything but.

Tasmanians are now faced with the prospect of former failed Health Minister and non-delivering Infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson taking over the Premiership.

It was only two years ago after the resignation of Will Hodgman that we saw the factional in-fighting among the Liberals for the top job and now Tasmanians can expect more of the same.

This is not the stable government Tasmanians were promised – it is a rabble.

The sudden resignation of the Premier has also thrown the business of government into chaos with the cancellation of Parliament next week.

Cassy O’Connor MP, Greens Leader, 4 April 2022

Peter Gutwein’s Resignation

On behalf of the Tasmanian Greens, I wish Peter Gutwein all the best for life after politics.

Just three years after being elevated to the top job and a year after winning an early election, his announcement today will come as a shock to many Tasmanians, as it has to us.

While Peter Gutwein and I have had a mixed professional relationship, particularly since the border reopening, I do respect the work ethic he has demonstrated over a 20 year Parliamentary career.

I also believe Tasmanians owe Peter Gutwein a debt of gratitude for crossing the floor to fight for child safety soon after he first came in to Parliament, and last year, establishing the Commission of Inquiry in to child sexual abuse in institutional settings.

On the negative side of the ledger, he was also too close to vested interests and too ready to do their bidding. On pokies, the border reopening and the privatization of wilderness, he invariably erred on the side of monied interests where there was money to be made.

He took Tasmanians to an election a year early with the slimmest justification.

He had the opportunity to ensure stronger environmental protections and real climate action for Tasmania, but didn’t use his political capital to do so.

That said, Peter Gutwein was a conviction politician and I admire that in colleagues.

After 20 years of hard slog and public service, I hope the next 20 years are filled with laughter, love and fulfilment for Tasmania’s 46th Premier.