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Jeremy Rockliff

The Honourable Jeremy Rockliff MP
47th Premier of Tasmania
Incumbent
Assumed office 8 April 2022
Monarchs	Elizabeth II Charles III
Governor	Barbara Baker
Deputy	Michael Ferguson
Preceded by	Peter Gutwein
Deputy Premier of Tasmania
In office 31 March 2014 – 8 April 2022
Premier	Will Hodgman Peter Gutwein
Preceded by	Bryan Green
Succeeded by	Michael Ferguson
Deputy Leader of the Tasmanian Liberal Party
In office 30 March 2006 – 8 April 2022
Appointed by	Will Hodgman
Premier	Paul Lennon David Bartlett Lara Giddings Will Hodgman Peter Gutwein
Leader	Will Hodgman
Preceded by	Will Hodgman
Succeeded by	Michael Ferguson
Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for Braddon
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 July 2002
Personal details
Born	Jeremy Page Rockliff (1970-02-05) 5 February 1970 (age 54) Devonport, Tasmania, Australia
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Sandra Knowles
Children	Three daughters
Residence	Sassafras, Tasmania
Alma mater	Launceston Church Grammar School Lincoln University
Occupation	Politician, farmer, company director
Portfolio	Education and Training Primary Industries and Water
Website	www.jeremyrockliff.com.au
Nickname	J-Rock[1][2]

Jeremy Page Rockliff (born 5 February 1970) is an Australian politician and farmer, and the 47th and current premier of Tasmania since 2022. He has been the leader of the Tasmanian division of the Liberal Party of Australia since 2022 and a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly for the division of Braddon since the 2002 election. He was previously the 20th deputy premier of Tasmania from 2014 to 2022. Since the electoral defeat of the Coalition government in New South Wales in March 2023, Rockliff is the only incumbent non-Labor leader of an Australian state government.

Rockliff was born on 5 February 1970 in Devonport, Tasmania.^[3] He is the son of Richard and Geraldine Rockliff, with his father's family having farmed at Sassafras since the 1850s.^[4]

Rockliff grew up on his family's farm at Sassafras. He attended Latrobe High School and Launceston Church Grammar School. He completed a diploma in farm management at Lincoln University in New Zealand, before returning to Sassafras to manage the family property. He was president of the Latrobe Football Club from 2006 to 2009.^[5]

Rockliff joined the Young Liberal Movement in 1991, and the Liberal Party in 1992. He became MP for Braddon in the House of Assembly in 2002. He was immediately promoted to the front bench, serving as opposition whip from 2002 until March 2006. When Will Hodgman, who had also been first elected in 2002, was elected leader of The Tasmanian Liberal Party in March 2006, he named Rockliff as his deputy, and hence Deputy Leader of the Opposition.^[6]

Rockliff became Deputy Premier of Tasmania in March 2014, following the Liberal Party winning government at the 2014 state election. He was also Minister for Education and Training, and Minister for Primary Industries and Water.^[7] When Hodgman resigned as party leader and Premier in January 2020, Rockcliff did not stand in the subsequent Liberal Party leadership contest, which was won by Peter Gutwein unopposed on 20 January 2020.^[8] As such, Rockliff remained as deputy party leader and Deputy Premier.

Along with being Deputy Premier, Rockliff was also Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Trade, Minister for Advanced Manufacturing and Defence Industries, Minister for Disability Services and Community Development, and Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing.^[9]

At a party-room meeting on the morning 8 April 2022, Rockliff was elected unopposed as the new leader of the Tasmanian Liberal Party, after Peter Gutwein had announced his resignation earlier that week. That afternoon he was sworn in by the Governor as the 47th Premier of Tasmania.^[10][11]

As Premier, Rockliff has continued the state government's negotiations with the Australian Football League in an attempt to gain a 19th team licence for Tasmania. Rockliff has championed a proposed $715 million^[12] multi-use stadium to be built in Hobart's Macquarie Point as a part of this bid. For his steadfast support of a stadium he has faced criticism from the Tasmanian Labor Party and The Tasmanian Greens as well as some in the federal Liberal Party.^[13] On 12 May 2023, Lara Alexander, alongside fellow Tasmanian Liberal John Tucker state MP, would leave the Liberal Party to sit as an independent, in part due to concerns related to the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium project. This leaves the Liberal party in minority government and requiring seven seats to reach a majority in the next state election.^[14]

On 28 September 2023, attorney general Elise Archer resigned from cabinet after being asked to do so by Rockliff. In doing so she additionally resigned from the Liberal party, leaving the government with ten seats in the lower house. Rockliff has stated that if Archer does not resign from parliament by 9 October he will request an early state election.

On 13 February 2024, Rockliff called a snap election after his demands of a permanent supply and confidence deal were denied by both former Liberal MPs, Lara Alexander and John Tucker.^[15] The election will be held on 23 March 2024.

Rockliff has been described as a moderate Liberal.

Rockliff supported the Voice to Parliament, despite Peter Dutton and the federal Liberals opposing it.^[16][17] He has stated that he would campaign "vigorously" for the Voice and joined several other state Liberal leaders in supporting the Voice and opposing Dutton's position.^[18] Rockliff also supports changing Australia Day.^[19][20]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K64JNg4Nwqk

• Personal website