Labor is not in power in every state – Tasmania is the exception

^{By Eiddwen Jeffery}

Social media users are claiming Labor governments now govern all states in Australia, as well as at the federal level, after Labor’s victory in the NSW state election last weekend.

Self-styled “liberty advocacy” group, Reignite Democracy Australia (RDA), has posted a video on Instagram claiming all governments in Australia are now run by Labor. Twitter users have made the same claim.

But the claim is wrong because Tasmania has a Liberal government, led by Jeremy Rockliff. It was reelected to a majority government for a third consecutive term in 2021.

The New South Wales Labor Party, led by Chris Minns, defeated the incumbent Liberal National coalition and former premier Dom Perrottet at the state election on March 25. 

In the Instagram video, an RDA spokeswoman says Labor’s victory, “means every single state, including the federal government, is all Labor”. 

All of Australia’s mainland states and territories are now led by Labor governments. It is the first time in 15 years Labor has held government in all mainland states. 

The party was previously in government nationally and in all eight states and territories between the 2007 federal election and the 2008 Western Australian state election. 

This is not the first time Reignite Democracy Australia has spread misinformation through social media. It wrongly claimed Victorian voters could change their enrolled address in a bid to vote out the Victorian Premier, Dan Andrews, at the state election on November 26 last year.

_{Thumbnail photo credit: ABC News - Paul Yeomans}