‘Long time coming’: Tasmanian Premier calls early election

The Mercury Editor Craig Herbert says the Tasmanian Premier calling an early election has been a “long time coming” as it has been 10 months since Lara Alexander and John Tucker quit the Liberal Party to become independents. Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has called for an early election, more than a year earlier than expected. It will be held on March 23. “It is an early election, but when you look back at it … it is 10 months at the moment that Liberal MPs Lara Alexander and John Tucker stepped away from the Liberal Party and decided to become independent,” Mr Herbert told Sky News host Chris Kenny. “It’s been a long time coming, and now we’re in the position where Premier Rockliff has had to force that election.”