Jeremy Rockliff's Path to Forming Minority Government in Tasmania

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff says he doesn't need confidence and supply agreements with independent MPs to form a minority government after the state election. He has promised to work with all MPs to ensure the new parliament lasts a full term and won't give in to the crossbench's demands 100% of the time.

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has reiterated his stance that he does not need confidence and supply agreements with independent Members of Parliament (MPs) to form a minority government following the recent state election. In a statement released on Friday, Rockliff expressed his intention to work with all MPs to ensure the new parliament lasts a full term, stating that he will not give in to the crossbench's demands 100% of the time [1].

The Liberals won at least 14 seats in the July 19 election, four short of the 18 seats needed to govern in majority. This has led to intense negotiations with the crossbench to secure the required 18 parliamentary votes needed to govern. However, the Liberals' path to power has been made more difficult by the re-elected independent Braddon MP, Craig Garland, who has ruled out signing a confidence and supply agreement with the Liberals [1].

Garland cited his lack of faith in Premier Jeremy Rockliff and the Liberal government's handling of the Marinus Link project and the premier's mishandling of the proposed Macquarie Point stadium as reasons for his decision. He also expressed his belief that the Labor Party is the only party capable of delivering stable and responsible government [1].

The Marinus Link project, a $5 billion undersea cable project, has been a contentious issue. The federal government granted environmental approval for the project, but the Liberal government's handling of the project has been criticized for being secretive and rushed. The project was signed off on by the Tasmanian government while in caretaker mode, potentially jeopardizing its own future [2].

The business case for the Marinus Link project, which was released on Friday, details significant power price increases for industrial businesses and warnings of "very significant" financial risk in the future. However, the government has spruiked the deal as a "bloody good deal for Tasmania," with promises of lower household energy bills and increased revenue [3].

Despite the challenges, Rockliff remains confident that he can form a minority government and ensure the new parliament lasts a full term. He has promised to work with all MPs, including those on the crossbench, to achieve this goal. However, the future of the Liberal government remains uncertain, with the crossbench and Labor Party expressing their dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the Marinus Link project and the premier's leadership [1, 2, 3].

References:
[1] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-01/craig-garland-will-not-supply-confidence-to-a-liberal-government/105600042
[2] https://aapnews.aap.com.au/news/green-light-for-cable-but-premier-s-path-to-power-dims
[3] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-02/marinus-link-business-case-summary-released/105602278