“Tasmanian premier resigns online” |
| Tasmanian premier resigns online Posted: 22 Jan 2011 09:08 PM PST Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett at an appearance earlier this month. Picture: Richard Jupe Source: News Limited
DAVID Bartlett is resigning this afternoon as Premier of Tasmania less than a year after the State Election narrowly saw him returned to the top job. In a Facebook message posted today he wrote: "To all my Facebook friends and contributors. I have decided to step down as Premier and Leader of the Labor Party. "Working seven days a week and wanting to be a better father for Hudson and Matilda has become incompatible as the children are growing up. "Lara Giddings will be an outstanding Premier and will have my full support. "Regards David." Mr Bartlett has called a media conference for 3pm (AEDT) on Sunday in Hobart. The Labor party has categorically ruled out health reasons for Mr Bartlett's decision. "He wants to put his family first,'' a spokesman said. There is growing speculation the pending $200 million budget black hole, significant job cuts within the public sector and a continuing slide in Mr Bartlett and the Labor Party's popularity, has led to the resignation. The resignation clears the way for Deputy Premier and newly appointed Treasurer Lara Giddings to take over the position. She would be the state's first female Premier. It is understood she has the support of the Labor Party to move up into the job and the new deputy leader will be decided at a caucus meeting on Monday. The news has come as a shock to Tasmania's political parties particularly the Greens who are in a power sharing arrangements with Labor after Mr Bartlett was able to win the support of Greens leader Nick McKim to form a minority government on the floor of the state's House of Assembly. Mr Bartlett was elevated to the top job following the resignation of Paul Lennon amid sliding public popularity. Read more about the Tasmanian Premier's reported resignation at the Mercury. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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