AN early State Election has been called for May 1, meaning that Derwent Valley and Central Highlands voters will be casting votes in two elections on that day. May 1 had already been named as the date for the election for this year’s Legislative Council election for the seat of Derwent, which presently has three candidates in the race.
Speaking at a press conference in Hobart late this morning, Premier Peter Gutwein said he had visited governor Kate Warner and requested that a House of Assembly election be held on May 1. Mr Gutwein said it would be “manageable” to hold both elections on the same day.
Mr Gutwein said the Liberal Party would voluntarily disclose, within two working days, all donations of more than $5000 to its State Election campaign and he hoped other parties would do the same. He would not commit to doing the same for the Legislative Council election but noted that the Upper House election has a strict spending limit for each candidate.
Mr Gutwein said the House of Assembly election would be about who can deliver a majority government for Tasmania. The government lost its slim majority earlier this week, after disendorsing the Speaker of the House, Sue Hickey. “I will govern in majority or not at all,” he said.
