Tassie Labor leader would rather hand over power to the opposition than work with the Greens

Labor Leader David Bartlett will not concede defeat despite a 12 per cent swing against his party to the Liberal Opposition and the Greens.

This morning Mr Bartlett chose a beach in suburban Hobart to face the media, and he says the result could have been far worse for Labor.

"Three or four weeks ago Labor was headed to a bloodbath," he said.

He says voters have sent Labor a message but he will wait for the full results to emerge

The most widely tipped outcome is 10 seats each to both Liberal and Labor, with 5 to the Greens.

Mr Bartlett has confirmed in that case, he will push for the Liberals to take power rather than negotiate with the Greens.

He says he is willing to be Opposition leader if his colleagues want him.

More: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/21/2851806.htm?section=justin

Sounds a lot like American Democrats...

Despite the huge media-ran smear campaign against Rann and Labor and the devastating opinion polls, it looks as if the government will be back with 24-25 seats (a majority.) While there are a variety of reasons for this upset, it should be pointed out that Labor and the Greens were preferentially aligned in swing seats and in the upper house and purposely did not go after eachother. Result for the Greens? A new green member (a personal friend of mine) of the 22 seat upper house (plus the guy who got elected last election makes 2) as well as 10% private polling. Meanwhile Labor is safe in government until 2014.

Tasmanian Labor and other Labor branches could learn a lesson and stop acting like the Greens are a bunch of extremists that result in electoral suicide.

Another note: Family First's vote is on the decline even more (although they'll probably get an upper house seat scraping in on preferences.) And a single issue candidate with an anti-abortion platform was a laughing stock and shunned by Labor (rather than coddled in order to reach the middle.)

In even happier news (for me) Michael Atkinson will be stepping down as Attorney-General and going to the backbenches (presumably to retire at the next election.) This is great, because he is a conservative draconian who was holding the party back!

I think I might still be drunk!

10% private polling

should be 10% primary polling, and I mean that for lower house seats.

Should wait until sober next time! :)

If 21% of Tasmanians have voted for The Greens, for both majors to say they will ignore them is a slap in the face
of the voters who have put five (and just possibly six) Greens into Parliament.