The lingering uncertainty around the Labor leadership could be resolved by Monday, according to party insiders.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Since election night on May 1, when it became evident that Labor had suffered its third defeat in seven years, speculation has been rife over whether Rebecca White would continue to lead the party.
In her first public appearance since the election, Ms White declared last week that she wanted to remain leader and felt she had "unfinished business".
IN OTHER NEWS:
But there's a push within the party for Franklin MHA David O'Byrne, Labor's Treasury spokesman, to take on the leadership mantle.
Both Ms White and Mr O'Byrne were contacted for comment.
The first two weeks of Labor's campaign were tumultuous, due primarily to factional infighting over an unsuccessful move to block the preselection of Kingborough mayor Dean Winter, who has since been elected in Franklin.
Should multiple people contest the leadership, it would go to a ballot of the caucus, the party's conference delegates and members of the rank-and-file. But some Labor figures say a ballot would be undesirable and that the aim would be for a consensus outcome where a sole candidate nominated for the role.
It's understood the Parliamentary Labor Party is waiting until after the declaration of the polls on Friday before meeting to discuss the leadership and that such a meeting would be held on Monday at the latest.
"I believe Rebecca will wholeheartedly support David," one Labor source said.
"The thing about David is he has very widespread support amongst rank-and-file members, conference delegates and in the caucus."
The source denied that Mr O'Byrne had played a role in efforts to block the preselection of Mr Winter, understood to have been spearheaded by the powerful Health and Community Services Union and the United Workers Union, both strong backers of Mr O'Byrne.
"I can categorically assure you that David has never been involved in any of the issues that were occurring in relation to preselection," the source said.
"That is absolutely false."
Re-elected Braddon Labor MHA Shane Broad, the party's infrastructure spokesman, appears to be mulling over whether to stand as an alternative leadership candidate if Ms White doesn't put her hand up.
I can categorically assure you that David has never been involved in any of the issues that were occurring in relation to preselection.
- A Labor source
"At this stage, I am keeping my options open," Dr Broad said.
According to another party source, Ms White did not "put a foot wrong" during the election campaign, despite the unfavourable "circumstances".
"If Rebecca doesn't put her hand up, you've just got to look at the numbers," they said.
"But David needs to build a team and he needs to build bridges. That's what he's got to do.
"If he ever wants to be premier, he's got to build bridges with not only people in his caucus but the wider community and the party."
What do you think? Send us a letter to the editor: