Former prominent federal Liberal MP Bridget Archer has announced that she will contest a snap Tasmanian election for the current embattled state government amid the ongoing political chaos. The Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff is expected to call this election on Tuesday, only 15 months after the last one, following a vote of no confidence against him in the state parliament.
Rockliff announced on Sunday that Archer – who lost her seat in Bass during the federal election in May – would be running in the upcoming poll. Archer is a moderate ally of the Premier and was his vocal supporter during the no-confidence saga.
Archer expressed her dismay over the political situation in Tasmania, calling the actions of the opposition leader Dean Winter in the state parliament ‘appalling’. She also stated that even though her recent federal election campaign was ‘bruising’, she was ready to stand for the upcoming poll in Tasmania.
Archer, who crossed the floor multiple times in the federal parliament, assured that she won’t be anyone’s puppet if elected and that she would always speak her mind in a constructive way. She will be standing in the CRE, the same area she represented in the federal parliament.
Archer defended her stance on her federal election loss, where she faced a swing against her of more than 9%. If the same logic were applied, she backs a vote for her as a vote for Rockliff.
Rockliff welcomed Archer’s decision to run, calling her a fighter who understands the importance of being part of the team Tasmania. The current political situation in Tasmania is quite confused, with the Labor, Greens, and several independents voting together to support the no-confidence motion against Rockliff.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jun/08/former-federal-liberal-mp-bridget-archer-recruited-by-rockliff-for-snap-tasmania-poll
