The state government has plenty of options and depth of experience to choose from when replacing Matthew Groom, his colleague Rene Hidding said.
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Mr Groom has resigned as State Growth, Parks and Environment and Energy Minister, and will leave politics at the conclusion of his term.
Mr Hidding, the Police and Emergency Services Minister, said choosing who would take on each portfolio was a matter for the Premier Will Hodgman, but ruled out any inclusion of independents to fill the newly-opened cabinet positions.
“I’ve been in and around the Parliament of Tasmania for more than 20 years and this is the most experienced, the most competent government line-up, front and backbencher, that I’ve seen in 25 years,” Mr Hidding said.
“There’s great depth here, there’s no need to be looking elsewhere for talent.”
Mr Groom is presently State Growth Minister, Energy Minister, Environment Minister and Acting Attorney-General.
He announced on Saturday he would be stepping away from politics at the next state election, and will resign his ministerial portfolios.
His resignation leaves open powerful cabinet positions with Liberal backbenchers now vying for selection.
Mr Hidding said the new cabinet would take several weeks to be established before Parliament sits again and the timing for Mr Groom’s step-down and the allocations of portfolios were matters for the Premier.
Labor’s Member for Elwick, Josh Willie, said losing Mr Groom caused “enormous challenges” for Mr Hodgman.
Mr Willie said Mr Groom’s decision to leave politics for the sake of his family “needs to be respected” and he left with the opposition’s best wishes.
"But for the Premier, the realities of governing don't go away,” he said.
"Will Hodgman has some critical portfolios to find new Ministers for.
"Not only does the Premier need to find replacements for Matthew Groom's substantive roles, he has the position of Attorney-General to determine the future of.”
Greens leader Cassy O’Connor disagreed with Mr Hidding’s statement that the state government had great depth of talent, saying there was uncertainty about the future cabinet.
“[The Premier] will be scratching around for someone to fill that cabinet position because there’s not much talent up there on the backbench,” Ms O’Connor said. “They are key portfolios … and they really do need to be placed in the hands of someone who cares.”
