The Tasmanian Labor Party is meeting this morning to hold nominations for leadership positions after the party’s election defeat was confirmed yesterday.
The dominant left faction of the party met earlier in the morning to discuss potential leadership contenders.
A Labor MP told the ABC Josh Willie and Ella Haddad were considering nominating.
The wider parliamentary Labor party met later at 9am.
Josh Willie (right) is considering nominating for the position of leader, the ABC understands. (ABC News: Luke Bowden)
Despite only winning 10 seats at the election, the party had been hoping to take government through a motion of no confidence in Premier Jeremy Rockliff and confidence in Labor leader Dean Winter.
But the party failed to convince a single crossbencher to support it with many saying Labor had shown it was unable to compromise and not ready to govern.
The motion was defeated last night 24 to 10.
Member for Clark Ella Haddad with Dean Winter. (ABC News: Maren Preuss)
Leadership spill automatic after election defeat
The confirmation of election defeat now means both leadership positions will be automatically declared vacant. If there are multiple nominations there will be a statewide ballot.
Mr Winter, who is from the right faction, has yet to confirm if he will nominate again.
Analysis: Did Labor just orchestrate a no-confidence motion in itself?
The party was criticised by the crossbench during the debate for refusing to compromise on key policies, contrasted to the Liberals who have now committed to banning greyhound racing and reviewing the sustainability of the salmon industry.
While the party faced a resounding loss both at the election and in parliament, a Labor MP told the ABC that backflipping on greyhound racing and the salmon industry at this late stage would be a mistake.
They said if the party was going to move on such policies, it should have done so over a week ago.
‘State of flux’, as Labor arrives at Parliament House
Outside Parliament House this morning, Lyons MP Brian Mitchell would not be drawn on who he would vote for as new leader, saying the party would “be going through our processes today”.
“We’ll make those decisions in the caucus room,” Mr Mitchell said.
Meanwhile, Member for Pembroke Luke Edmunds said his party had showed Tasmanians at last night’s no-confidence vote that Labor MPs “would stick by our values”.
Upper house MLC Luke Edmunds says his party has stuck by its values.
“Tasmania has a decades-long problem from what happened in 2010. We’ve proved that we won’t be buckling through trade offs and horse-trading,” he said.
In 2010, Labor formed government through a deal with the Greens.
Mr Edmunds said he did not necessarily think Dean Winter needed replacing as party leader.
“It is a state of flux, as is what happens after an election,” he said.
“So we will talk to each other collaboratively, but the issues I’m concerned about at he issues that matter to my electorate and I will continue to fight for that.”
Left-leaning faction is strongest, former leader says
Former leader Bryan Green says Labor will “come back” from the recent poor election result. (ABC News: Maren Preuss)
Former Labor leader Bryan Green has told ABC Mornings the numbers show “if the left puts someone forward, that they will get the position”.
“That’s just how the numbers are — but in the end, the caucus makes the decision,” Mr Green said.
“The caucus alone, it’s not an outside faction that makes that decision.”
He said either Ella Haddad and Josh Willie, both of the left faction, would make good leaders.
He said the party’s record-low vote at the recent state election worried him.
“Of course the Labor Party will come back, it’s a matter of looking inwards, seeing what we need to do, and then get on and take it up to the government.”
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