Dean Winter MP, Leader of Opposition Business in the House of Assembly, 8 April 2022
A matter of time before Michael Ferguson leads the Liberal Party
Jeremy Rockliff is premier in name only with Michael Ferguson as his ‘loyal deputy’. The deal has been done and it is now just a matter of time before Michael Ferguson is leading the Liberals.
This is not the Government that Tasmanians voted for less than a year ago. The division in the Liberal Party is there for all to see. We have seen a week of dirty deals and MP’s scrambling over each other for positions.
Elise Archer has been deeply embarrassed and her supporters are furious that she has been overlooked as Deputy Leader again.
The Liberals dragged Tasmanians to an early election on the promise of a strong and stable Government. After 11 months, three ministers, and one premier later we have Jeremy Rockliff warming the chair and Michael Fergusson as premier in waiting.
With Jeremy Rockliff retaining the Health portfolio, it goes to show the lack of depth and talent in the Liberal Cabinet. This weak Premier has failed in his first test, doing a deal to hand the critical Treasury portfolio to failed Health and Housing minister Michael Ferguson.
This is a government in disarray that has failed to deliver on its key commitment of stability.
Rebecca White MP, Labor Leader, 8 April 2022
Work must start now
New Premier Jeremy Rockliff must take this opportunity to put the interests of the Tasmanian people first and deliver improvements to their lives.
The top priorities for his time as Premier should be to fix the lack of access to health care, lack of access to housing, lack of action to address the rising cost of living and lack of delivery on nearly every infrastructure project promised by successive Liberal Premiers.
There is also a desperate need for the government to make clear that the work of the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government’s Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings is supported by a Minister without a record of groaning at questions asked by victim survivors.
If Premier Jeremy Rockliff really wants to lead a government with integrity he should also deliver on the promised reforms to Tasmania’s donation disclosure laws, which remain the weakest in Australia, along with the reforms to strengthen the Integrity Commission, which have gone nowhere for the past six years.
Tasmanians are tired of this government failing to deliver what they say they will. They called an early election on the pretence of providing stability but have instead lost a third of their cabinet in resignations, including the Premier, less than a year after going to the poll.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff can’t just waffle on about the nice things he would like to do, he’s been the Deputy Leader for 16 years and it’s time he started to deliver.
Ella Haddad MP, Shadow Housing Minister, 8 April 2022
Strong action required from new Premier to address Tasmania’s Housing Crisis
It seems the new Premier is promising a new approach to the housing crisis facing Tasmanians.
Mr Rockliff’s language this morning was in stark contrast to the Liberal Government’s track record of presiding over the worst housing crisis in our state’s history.
I look forward to seeing some strong action to match Mr Rockliff’s bold declaration that it is a “fundamental right” to have a roof over your head and that “no Tasmanian should be sleeping rough”.
Under failed Housing Minister and “loyal” Deputy Michael Ferguson, more than 4,300 Tasmanian families remain languishing on the Liberals’ historically high housing wait list and the government is going nowhere near even delivering on their own announcements.
According to their own promises they should be delivering 83 houses each month, but in the last month they delivered just eight.
We have a housing system in complete crisis with people being forced into homelessness, regularly turned away from shelters, languishing on social housing waitlists, finding it near impossible to secure private rentals and facing house price rises in the top five in the world.
If Jeremy Rockliff is serious about making a difference in housing then he should sack Michael Ferguson from the role because he has been nothing more than a failure.
Media release – Cassy O’Connor MP, Greens Leader, 8 April 2022
Liberal Leadership Renewal an Opportunity for a Reset
On behalf of the Greens, I warmly congratulate Jeremy Rockliff on becoming Tasmania’s 47th Premier and Michael Ferguson on his elevation to Deputy Premier.
As a new leadership team, they face significant challenges and opportunities.
Dr Woodruff and I strongly encourage Premier Rockliff to prioritise a reset on Covid to protect the health of Tasmanians. The current strategy of unchecked mass infection is both untenable and unsustainable.
Stronger public health measures and messaging are needed to help Tasmanians protect themselves and others from this debilitating virus.
We stand ready to work with the Premier to achieve this necessary reset.
So too on the big social challenges facing Tasmania, including the urgent need to bring forward investment in more affordable homes for Tasmanians.
We also look forward to talking to Premier Rockliff about the need to take real climate action, and protect this island’s vast, climate-positive carbon stores.
It is our sincere hope the Rockliff Government will not be a business-as-usual government, that it will be a courageous government with a culture of openness and transparency that starts at the top.
In making up his new Cabinet, we urge Premier Rockliff to remove responsibility for the Resources portfolio away from Minister Barnett who has demonstrated time and again he is unfit for the job. We also hope to see the new Premier pull Mr Barnett back from his draconian, divisive and dangerous attacks on peaceful protestors.
Now is the time to scrap the failed ‘Unlock the Parks’ policy and begin engaging with the Aboriginal community in an open-hearted manner by advancing land hand backs and moving to co-management of the reserve estate.
The Premier’s predecessor dragged his heels on donations’ reform. Premier Rockliff surely knows it needs to be done to strengthen our island’s democracy.
And, we trust, particularly after the political events of this year so far, Mr Rockliff also recognises the pressing need to restore the numbers in the House of Assembly so the Parliamentary talent pool is deepened, communities are better represented and governance is strengthened.
It is very much in the public interest for the House of Assembly to be restored.
Media release – Equality Tasmania, 8 April 2022
Statement from Equality Tasmanian on Jeremy Rockliff becoming Tasmanian Premier
President of Equality Tasmania, Rodney Croome, said Jeremy Rockliff is one of the strongest and most effective advocates for LGBTIQ+ equality and inclusion in the Tasmania Parliament.
“Jeremy Rockliff understands the harm discrimination against LGBTIQ+ can cause and has a twenty year track record challenging that discrimination.”
“Mr Rockliff voted for Tasmania’s gold-standard Anti-Discrimination Act, laws recognising same-sex couples and their families, the principle of marriage equality and legislation to expunge historical gay and transgender criminal records.”
“He has also strongly supported LGBTIQ+ inclusion and equity initiatives in his roles as Education Minister and then Health Minister.”
“We look forward to working with him to foster a fairer and more inclusive Tasmania.”
Mr Croome said new deputy premier, Michael Ferguson, has opposed equality for LGBTIQ+ people including same-sex adoption and marriage.
“Our hope is that Mr Ferguson will gain greater insight into the disadvantages faced by LGBTIQ+ Tasmanians, and our aspiration to equality, in his work with Premier Rockliff.”
Media release – AMA Tasmania, 8 April 2022
AMA TASMANIA LOOKS FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR WORK WITH TASMANIAS NEW PREMIER JEREMY ROCKLIFF
AMA Tasmania President Dr Helen McArdle responded to the news this week that Peter Gutwein had decided to step down from his role as Premier and Parliament, adding, “we were as surprised as anyone by this news. We recognise that a life in politics, especially one that has been overshadowed in the past years by a pandemic, can be punishing for anyone. The medical profession has respected Peter during his time as Premier for ensuring that informed health advice was considered throughout the State’s COVID response.
“Very early on in the COVID fight, Peter Gutwein made it evident to all that he valued the advice of Dr Mark Veitch and the other Deputy Directors of Public Health. They have played significant roles in the media briefings and provided transparent health advice to Tasmanians.
“As medical practitioners, we fully understand the challenges of weighing up complex information and making critical decisions that will impact people’s lives. To his credit, Peter Gutwein, by and large, showed strong and decisive leadership on health issues throughout this pandemic, and he should be recognised for that contribution. We take this opportunity to wish Peter the best of luck for the next stages in his life.
“Today, we welcome the announcement that Jeremy Rockliff has been appointed as the next Premier of Tasmania; we have enjoyed an excellent relationship with Jeremy Rockcliff as Minister for Health and Mental Health and Wellbeing.
“We are very pleased that as the new Premier, Jeremy will be retaining the health and mental health portfolios. A government that continues to invest heavily to transform our health system right across Tasmania needs to be responsive and accessible which is what we have experienced from Jeremy to date, and we look forward to this continuing. This appointment also acknowledges the importance of health and mental health to the Tasmanian community.”
AMA Tasmania encourages the Government to continue to follow the advice from health experts not only on pandemic-related health issues but also on the ongoing, complex, and multiple health challenges facing the state currently.
“While the Tasmanian health system has been much more fortunate than larger states to have had such low COVID numbers to manage, even so the strain this has imposed on an already heavily burdened health system is enormous. Care needs to be taken to continue to act in a measured and informed manner to ensure Tasmanians get the health care they deserve, where and when they need it.”
Media release – Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT), 8 April 2022
Local government welcomes Tasmania’s new Premier
On behalf of the state’s 29 councils, the Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT) welcomes the state’s new Liberal Party leadership team.
LGAT President, West Tamar Mayor and Vice President of the Australian Local Government Association Christina Holmdahl congratulated Jeremy Rockliff on his appointment as the state’s 47th Premier.
“Mr Rockliff is an exemplar politician, he has proven to be a solid leader and genuine advocate for the people of Tasmania,” Mayor Holmdahl said.
The Association also extends its congratulations to the Minister for Local Government, Michael Ferguson, on his appointment as the state’s new Deputy Premier, who demonstrated a strong understanding of our sector in his short time as our Minister.
We thank outgoing Premier Peter Gutwein for all his work in supporting the local government sector in Tasmania.
“The sector looks forward to finding out who the local government minister will be and continuing our work together, on supporting local government and the communities they represent,” Mayor Holmdahl said.
Media release – Tasmanian Branch of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, 8 April 2022
PHARMACY GUILD WELCOMES APPOINTMENTS OF NEW PREMIER AND DEPUTY PREMIER OF TASMANIA
The Tasmanian Branch of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia has welcomed the appointments of Jeremy Rockliff MP as the new Premier of Tasmania, and Michael Ferguson MP as Deputy Premier.
“We are delighted that Tasmania will be led by a Premier and Deputy Premier who have both held the Health portfolio during their parliamentary careers”, said Branch President Helen O’Byrne.
“It bodes well for Tasmania’s economic and social recovery from the pandemic that both have a deep understanding of the health needs of our community, and importantly where change is needed.”
“Particularly throughout the pandemic we have enjoyed open and regular dialogue with the State Government which has enabled community pharmacies to provide broader and much needed access to health services within their local communities.”
“The Guild has always enjoyed a positive working relationship with both Mr Rockliff and Mr Ferguson”, Ms O’Byrne said.
“We look forward to continuing to work closely with them and their Government to build on what has been achieved to date.”
