Tasmanian election called after governor accepts request for snap vote

Tasmanians will head to the polls next month, after the state's governor accepted Premier Jeremy Rockliff's request for a snap election.

Liberal leader Rockliff this evening visited Governor Barbara Baker to ask for what will be the second state election in 15 months, following the successful no-confidence motion against him last week.

"Notwithstanding the recent 2024 election, the public interest in avoiding the cost of another election and the prevailing public mood against holding an election, I have granted Premier Rockliff a dissolution," Baker said in a statement.

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"I make this grant because I am satisfied that there is no real possibility that an alternative government can be formed."

Rockliff said the election would be held on July 19.

"Another election is not what I wanted, and I know that it's not what Tasmanians wanted," he said.

"But it was forced upon us by the leader of the opposition."

The government's collapse was triggered when Labor Opposition Leader Dean Winter tabled a no-confidence motion after the Liberal Party's May 19 state budget, which included mounting debt levels expected to near $11 billion by the end of the decade.

He argued the rising debt and a now-ditched plan to privatise state assets made Rockliff's position untenable.

Prior to debate over the no-confidence motion, Rockliff had vowed to call an election if it succeeded, rather than resigning from his position as premier.

"Jeremy Rockliff has lost the support of Tasmania's parliament, and sadly, now Tasmanians need to go to another early election because he wants to sell off our assets," Winter said tonight.

"Two months ago, he said he would not drop that plan because he believes in it.

"So whatever he says now, the truth is, he wants to sell off our assets, like our poles and wires and Aurora, and that means higher power bills, worse services and profits going offshore to multinationals and mainland shareholders only."

Rockliff said Winter's repetition of the claim "shows why he cannot be trusted".

"Tasmania cannot afford the risk of going back to the bad old days of a Labor-Green government," he said.

"We cannot afford an inexperienced and desperate Dean Winter who will keep misleading Tasmanians about privatisation.

"We have ruled out privatisation. There will be no sale of any government-owned business. Not one."

It will be the second time Tasmanians cast their ballot in 15 months and the fourth in just seven years.

There are concerns that the political turmoil will derail the state's incoming AFL team, which is due to join the league in 2028, provided a new stadium at Macquarie Point in Hobart is constructed.

Parliament had temporarily resumed yesterday as members scrambled to pass an emergency budget supply bill to keep public departments funded throughout the election campaign.

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