Jeremy Rockliff will be declared the next premier of Tasmania by week's end, while a battle will play out for the role of deputy, the ABC understands.
Mr Rockliff — the current Deputy Premier — is the only Liberal MP who will put his hand up for the top job.
Current Premier Peter Gutwein announced on Monday his shock plans to resign from Parliament, saying he was drained from the pandemic and wanted to spend more time with his family.
It was not known whether Transport Minister Michael Ferguson would contest the leadership, but Liberal sources said he would not, and instead had wide support to run as deputy.
But the role will go to a ballot after Attorney-General Elise Archer publicly confirmed she was also interested in the job.
"I have been a member of Parliament for over 12 years, the first female Speaker (in our then 157-year parliamentary history), a Cabinet Minister since September 2017, and Attorney-General for five years — a senior position as the First Law Officer for the State of Tasmania," Ms Archer said in a statement.
Ms Archer said Tasmania "needs a strong leadership team with gender and geographical balance".
"Not only for the long-term future of our party but more importantly, to continue our work on behalf of all Tasmanians as the strong united team we have always been.
"Our entire Liberal team demonstrates an incredibly broad diversity of skills, backgrounds, expertise and gender, and therefore, I would be proud to serve as deputy premier (last held by a female in our party by the late Sue Napier from 1996-1998)."
Friday meeting to decide deputy
The Liberal party room will meet on Friday to formalise Mr Rockliff's promotion and decide his deputy.
Mr Gutwein will remain Premier until then.
Mr Rockliff, 52, was a Lifeline counsellor before entering politics and owns a mixed cropping and lamb farm at Sassafras in the state's north-west.
He is married with three daughters.
