Latest news with #earlyelection
ABC News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Tasmanians to the polls on July 19
Tasmania's governor has granted Premier Jeremy Rockliff an early election, stating that she "is satisfied that there is no real possibility that an alternative government can be formed". Governor Barbara Baker has announced Saturday July 19 for the election.
The Guardian
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Tasmania election: state to head to polls again after governor grants embattled premier's request
Tasmania will hold an early election on 19 July – just 16 months after last going to the polls – after the state's governor agreed to an extraordinary request from the Liberal premier, Jeremy Rockliff. It followed a dramatic week in which the parliament narrowly supported a no confidence motion in Rockliff moved by the Labor leader, Dean Winter, and the state's three main political parties each argued a fresh election could be avoided. Rockliff visited Government House in Hobart on Tuesday night to advise the governor, Barbara Baker, that he believed a new poll was needed. She took 24 hours to consider the state's options, including asking Winter if he could form a government, before inviting Rockliff back and agreeing to his request. It will be the state's fourth election in seven years. The last poll was 23 March 2024. More to come
ABC News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Tasmania likely to get another state election as Jeremy Rockliff heads to see governor
The Tasmanian government has passed an emergency budget supply bill to keep the public service funded, clearing the way for the premier to visit the governor this afternoon and call for an early election. The ABC understands a mistake in the emergency budget supply bill, which needs to pass both houses of parliament in order to keep the public service funded, had to be fixed because of a typo before it could be considered by the upper house. Last week Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff lost a vote of no-confidence in the lower house, 18 votes to 17. Labor Opposition Leader Dean Winter cited growing state debt in the yet-to-be-passed state budget, plans to sell off state assets and the bungled rollout of the new Spirit of Tasmania ferries as the reasons for the motion. The government has since ruled out the sale of state assets. Convention dictates that after losing a vote of no-confidence, the premier should resign. Mr Rockliff has instead pushed for an early election. His position was backed by his Liberal colleagues, who have not mounted a leadership challenge. The governor has options other than granting an early election, including asking another Liberal MP to try to form a minority government, or asking Labor — with just 10 seats — to try to govern in minority. Mr Winter has ruled out forming a minority government that requires the support of the Greens, despite the minor party pledging confidence and supply to Labor. Premier Jeremy Rockliff will meet Her Excellency Barbara Baker, Governor of Tasmania, to seek an election. But can she say, 'no'? There's only two scenarios where that could have happened. The first is if the Liberals replaced Mr Rockliff with a new leader, who could then be asked to test their support on the floor of the house. That didn't happen, so that's ruled out. The second is if Labor leader Dean Winter had made efforts to cobble together his own minority government, using the Greens and crossbench. He made no such moves, so that is also ruled out — the governor won't make that request of him. It leaves an election as the only option.
RNZ News
02-06-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Samoa electoral commissioner seeks court extension
Photo: RNZI Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia Samoa's Electoral Commissioner says his office has filed an affidavit to the Supreme Court, seeking legal direction and an extra six weeks to complete the electoral roll ahead of an early election. The move follows the announcement of the formal dissolution of Parliament , which comes into force Tuesday, 3 June. The Constitution requires a general election to be held within 90 days. The regular general election had been scheduled for April 2026. Toleafoa Tuiafelolo John Stanley said the Electoral Act does not address what happens in the event of an early election. "That's why we're going to the Supreme Court for a legal direction for the Office of the Commission," he said. "Where we are currently, 53 percent of eligible voters have registered so far... so we haven't closed our rolls. "We are seeking declaration from the court, an order from the court, to give us guidance, because we are going to change all our election timetable. "We're also submitting, as well our new timeline... four months and two weeks." He confirmed that an affidavit was being filed to the Supreme Court "to seek their direction for the Office of the Electoral Commission with a new electoral timeframe" and to request six additional weeks "to complete the electoral roll to make sure our roll is ready in order to conduct an open and fair election". Since the announcement of the early election, voter registration centres across Samoa have seen an increase in foot traffic. "[Thursday] was almost 500 registered voters, and that was in Upolu," Toleafoa said. "It's the same thing with Savai'i. I mean, we've been singing this song since last year, when the registration was open in April last year, up until now, and people are now flooding in, as they know there's an early election." Toleafoa said that overseas diaspora will only be able to vote by returning to Samoa in person. The online portal is open for resgistration but voters will have to travel to Samoa for fingerprinting biometrics. He said the act needs a revamp. "Align it with the Constitution, and also make sure to cover this kind of situation... the current electoral law contradicts against the three months of the Constitution."
ABC News
28-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
Samoa to hold snap elections amidst fallout between Fiame and FAST party
Samoans are heading for an early election, after Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa called for the dissolution of parliament. The call came after the her government's budget was voted down by a combination of opposition and FAST party MPs. It's another twist in a long running saga that has seen Fiame survive two votes of no confidence earlier in the year. Many however are not surprised that the budget failed to pass through. "Given the way the parliament has operated over the past year, this is not surprising at all," said Samoan human rights scholar and journalist Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson. "We've never been in a stage before where we have three parties to this degree where it does impact the decisions of parliament."
