Tasmania’s next premier Will Hodgman has spent day one after the Liberals’ thumping election victory familiarising himself with the job.
Mr Hodgman has joined deputy Jeremy Rockliff and likely treasurer Peter Gutwein in meetings with the heads of the premier’s department and treasury.
In scenes that mirrored the election of prime minister Tony Abbott last year, Mr Hodgman ticked off day one of a 100-day plan and didn’t address the media.
The Liberals grabbed 52 per cent of the primary vote, a swing of 12 per cent, to win at least 14 of the lower house’s 25 seats and take power for the first time in 16 years.
Mr Hodgman told department heads his team was serious about turning around Tasmania’s struggling economy.
“We appreciate, having spent some time in opposition, there’ll be a lot we need to hear from you as to what’s required of us,” he said.
“My team … are keen to start work straight away. But we will do things in a sensible and methodical way as well.
“We are not proposing anything radical.”
But his refusal to answer questions was immediately attacked by defeated Labor premier Lara Giddings.
Asked about the Liberals’ disciplined campaign, Ms Giddings hit out on “day of the next election campaign”.
“Discipline in not even being available to answer questions on your first day as the next premier is not really acceptable,” she said.
With more than 80 per cent of the vote counted, the ALP had secured six seats, the Greens probably three while two were still in doubt.
Ms Giddings was clinging to hope that Labor could finish with as many as nine, the final outcome not expected for another 10 days.
“I’m not conceding any of the seats that are still in doubt,” Ms Giddings told reporters.
“We don’t know how the preferences will flow.”
Ms Giddings, who confirmed she would be a candidate for the Labor leadership, said her government’s rout had not been unexpected.
“It’s a result that we’re not unsurprised by in terms of the tough decisions we’ve had to make, the issues that were thrown at us … and of course the difficulty of combating a very negative opposition,” she said.
Greens leader Nick McKim was expected to retain the leadership of his party despite an eight per cent swing against it.
He joined Ms Giddings in reiterating support for Tasmania’s forest peace deal between environmentalists and the timber industry.
The elected Liberals have promised to tear up the agreement, which protects contentious forests from logging in return for green group support of a plantation-based industry.
Signatories to the deal The Wilderness Society and Environment Tasmania also called on it to be retained.
“Will, can we just see your forest plan please mate?” Mr McKim said.
“Nobody’s seen it and we’d like to see how you’re actually going to do what you say you are going to do.”
By David Beniuk, AAP
