Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Politics
Ethan James

Tasmanian voters seemingly unmoved by electioneering

Tasmanian Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff hopes to hold the government benches after the election. (Ethan James/AAP PHOTOS)

A chocolate fountain, energy cable selling, a "ban" on ambulance ramping, youth crime crackdown, native forestry expansion and no-deposit home purchases.

Tasmania's major parties have outlined a mixed bag of promises heading into the final week of campaigning before the March 23 poll.

But it remains to be seen whether any voters have been swayed.

Polling of 1000 people taken in mid-February by EMRS had support for the Liberals, who have been in power for a decade, at 39 per cent with Labor on 26.

An early March survey by uComms painted a similar picture, with the Liberals garnering 37 per cent support and Labor 23.

Both point to the Liberals winning more seats than Labor - but neither having enough support to reach the 18 seats required to form majority government.

"There is nothing to suggest there is any real movement going on in voting intention during this campaign," political analyst Kevin Bonham says.

"If the polls taken now are broadly accurate you would expect the Liberals to be at least a few seats short of majority.

"The polls aren't necessarily correct but we do have a lot more of them this election than last election."

Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White.
Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White has ruled out doing deals with crossbenchers. (Ethan James/AAP PHOTOS)

Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Labor leader Rebecca White have both said they'd be prepared to govern in minority but have ruled out doing "deals" with crossbenchers.

The Greens, who have two incumbent MPs, are chasing a balance-of-power position, while the Jacqui Lambie Network and a host of independents are firmly in the mix.

The Liberals drew headlines for promising millions to build the world's largest chocolate fountain at Cadbury's headquarters in Hobart.

Their pledge to grow native forestry by opening up an additional 40,000 hectares drew criticism from conservationists as well as the industry itself.

A promise to "ban" ambulance ramping by mandating transfer times prompted stop-work action from nurses and opposition from the Australian Medical Association.

Their plan to crack down on youth crime seemingly wasn't run by the children's commission in light of an inquiry into child sexual abuse and 191 recommendations which push for greater therapeutic processes.

Hobart.
Polls have the Liberals taking more seats than Labor but not having enough to form a majority. (Rob Blakers/AAP PHOTOS)

Labor hinged their campaign launch on a policy dubbed "GameChanger" where eligible first home buyers could purchase a house without a deposit and later pay back the state.

The Liberals, who were in minority for about eight months before the election was called, pointed out a scheme where people can buy a home with a two per cent deposit was already in place.

Labor pledged support for the Marinus Link Bass Strait power cable project, but have vowed to sell the state's stake at the earliest opportunity after completion.

Ms White said cost-of-living was her biggest priority but according to some calculations Labor will be outspending the Liberals.

The Liberals support a new stadium in Hobart attached to the state's AFL licence - Ms White says the infrastructure is a bad idea but indicated she could come around if a club proves itself at existing grounds.

"The Liberal campaign has been very noisy, very high energy," Dr Bonham said.

"Labor has been less high energy, perhaps more limited in scope. It's hard to get a sense of much ambition or belief they can actually win."

Labor incumbent MP Dean Winter brushed off suggestions the party wasn't campaigning hard enough.

"Oppositions are almost always the underdogs in every election," he told reporters.

"We accept being the underdog because all the time that's what Labor does, we fight. And we'll fight ... until election day."

Polling suggests both parties have fallen from 2021 - the Liberals were re-elected with 49 per cent of the vote, while Labor got 28.

Former Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein.
The Liberals have lost a host of big vote getters, including former premier Peter Gutwein. (Sarah Rhodes/AAP PHOTOS)

The Liberals have lost a host of big vote getters, including former premier Peter Gutwein but do have ex-senator Eric Abetz seeking a political comeback.

Labor is without one-time leader David O'Byrne, who is running as an independent after being cast adrift from the partyroom over sexual harassment allegations.

Tasmania will elect seven members in each of its five electorates, with parliament's lower house being restored from 25 to 35 members.

TASMANIA'S VOTING INTENTIONS ACCORDING TO RECENT POLLING

* Liberal 39 per cent, Labor 26, independents 14, Greens 12, Jacqui Lambie Network nine, others one (EMRS, February 15-21)

* Liberal 37.1 per cent, Labor 23, Greens 13.7, independents 12.8, Jacqui Lambie Network 8.5, others five (uComms, March 4-5)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.