Bridget Archer to Act as Premier of Tasmania

Analysis of the situation

The topic is about state government

It happened on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 10:30 am

Jeremy Rockliff chose Bridget Archer to act as premier when he is away, which might upset some people who think they are better for the job

Bridget Archer, the Health Minister, will be the acting premier of Tasmania for about a week, starting from tomorrow, while Jeremy Rockliff and his deputy Guy Barnett are away

The announcement was made quietly at a press conference on Tuesday morning

This moment in Tasmanian politics might seem unimportant to those who do not follow it closely

But it is actually significant

This is a test for Jeremy Rockliff's choice for the next premier of Tasmania

The decision to make Bridget Archer the acting premier, even if only for a short time, will cause discussion and possibly make some people in her own party jealous

Jeremy Rockliff and Eric Abetz, who successfully moved from federal to state politics in 2024

It has been almost a year since Bridget Archer was elected to the state parliament after unexpectedly losing her federal seat in the last election

When she was in federal parliament, Bridget Archer was known for speaking her mind, even if it meant criticizing her own party

She voted against her party 28 times on issues like religious discrimination, integrity, and climate change, which she could do because she was not in a key position

But as a senior minister in the Rockliff government, Bridget Archer has had to deal with and defend the state's health system, which is not working well

Jeremy Rockliff watches Bridget Archer speak at the announcement that she would become the health minister in his new government after the 2025 state election

The health system is known for being difficult to manage, and she is an easy target in Question Time as she answers questions about patients taking taxis to hospitals and waiting times for ambulances

Recently, she had to defend the government's decision to cut $700 million from the health system, which led to an argument with the Labor party about whether these cuts are really cuts or not

In reality, both parties are partly right - the health budget is increasing every year, but they also need to find $700 million in savings over four years, which is like a cut

It is all about how you define the words

Bridget Archer with her state Liberal colleague Eric Abetz in parliament in 2026

Bridget Archer may not seem like the outspoken Liberal MP that Tasmanians remember from federal parliament, but that is the reality of being a minister

When Labor recently questioned her in parliament about the health cuts and reminded her of her record of crossing the floor, Bridget Archer responded strongly

She said, 'I have made a career of standing up for what I believe in'

'I crossed the floor 28 times in Canberra on things I believe in, and I will stand up for my community every day'

'You can be sure that if I am not speaking up now, it is because I believe it'

'It is because I believe we need to make savings to protect the wellbeing of future generations'

Archer on 'Team Tasmania', says Rockliff

Mr Rockliff has never been shy about his admiration for Bridget Archer

She is, like him, a traditional small 'l' Liberal, strong on social issues, like when they both defied then-federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton and campaigned for the Voice, and a believer in small government

In Bridget Archer, Jeremy Rockliff has someone who shares his views on issues more than some of his other Liberal colleagues

Before the Tasmanian governor had even agreed to Mr Rockliff's 2025 election request, he was already saying that Ms Archer would run in Bass

Months later, when Mr Rockliff was re-elected, ahead of the second no-confidence motion, Mr Rockliff held a brief press conference outside parliament

He was accompanied, not by his deputy or treasurer, but by close ally minister Jo Palmer and Ms Archer

Even then, it seemed like a sign of things to come

But the key thing to remember is that Ms Archer is the premier's choice, not the Liberals'

While there are still many moderates in the parliamentary Liberal Party, those with power are largely conservatives

Think of Treasurer Eric Abetz with his more than three decades of parliamentary experience, the state's deputy premier, Guy Barnett, the next generation's conservative hope, Police Minister Felix Ellis, and even former deputy premier Michael Ferguson, waiting on the backbench

All of whom have been in the state parliament longer than Ms Archer and are known to have leadership ambitions

Felix Ellis might see himself as a future Liberal premier

It is no secret that some were counting numbers when Mr Rockliff faced his first no-confidence motion last year

And there is certainly no love lost between Ms Archer and fellow minister Gavin Pearce, who reportedly tried to pressure the federal Liberals to dump her when he held the federal seat of Braddon

If the Liberals were to install their first-ever female premier, and the state's second, it might not be easy for her

Australia has just seen the federal Liberals' first female leader being torn down by her own party within a matter of months

Strategic succession

So how could Ms Archer even take over, given how many MPs could argue they are in line before her?

Well, there are two points in her favor

Firstly, her impressive performance at the ballot box, where she topped the poll in Bass and received almost double the number of votes as the next best-placed Liberal, Michael Ferguson

And secondly, Mr Rockliff would likely argue she is the only person the largely progressive crossbench will accept

Bridget Archer pictured with fellow Liberal Michael Ferguson after both were elected in 2025

While there might not be an election on the horizon anytime soon, the Liberals' hold on government is rather uncertain

They are in power not because the crossbench and the Greens are particularly fond of them, but because last year they were viewed as the lesser of two evils

But under the leadership of Josh Willie, Labor has changed

There is less antagonism towards the Greens and more of a willingness to work together

While it has been slow going, things between the parties are improving

The recent team-up to move two government ministers to the backbench seems to have warmed things even more

After last year's snap election, Tasmania's premier declared voters were 'sick and tired of the political games', but it is clear that the politicians just cannot help themselves

The Liberals are not the natural partners of the Greens or most members of the crossbench, but they tolerate them, in part because of Mr Rockliff himself

They certainly have their issues with him, just look to the integrity concerns the Greens raised last month, but his stance on things like greyhound racing and equality still commands respect, as does his general decency

Premier Eric Abetz or Premier Felix Ellis would probably be a bridge too far for the Greens and independents like Kristie Johnston and David O'Byrne

Premier Bridget Archer, on the other hand, would be much more acceptable, and perhaps the only chance of preventing the Greens and crossbench from installing Labor

The irony, of course, in all this is that in triggering last year's election, Labor has handed Mr Rockliff and the Liberals their best chance of staying in power longer

Bridget Archer campaigned for a 'yes' vote to the Voice to Parliament referendum, alongside Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in 2023

Rockliff keen to keep a moderate in charge

The Liberals are a broad church, and it is their moderate wing that has kept them in power in Tasmania for so long

It is no secret that when premier Peter Gutwein left, he ensured his moderate deputy in Jeremy Rockliff was ready to take the leadership

Until now, Mr Rockliff has not had an obvious successor when it comes to finding someone who matches his values

Perhaps reluctant to leave the state in the hands of someone so ideologically different to himself, he has shown no signs of being ready to hand over the crown

But after almost a quarter of a century in politics, endless elections, a no-confidence motion, and not to mention the recent integrity issues and loss of two ministers, it would be understandable if he was planning an exit at some point

If Ms Archer decides she wants the top job, it will take a weight off Mr Rockliff's shoulders

But it will add a hell of a lot to her own

The maverick MP has built a reputation over the years of being a frank speaker with strong values, and her progressive stance on social issues has won her fans across the political spectrum

Even if Tasmanians are willing to accept Ms Archer as premier, the question is: will her own party?

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