George Razay, Independent opponent to Hobart stadium, wins in final Tasmanian seat of Bass
Professor George Razay is a physician at Launceston General Hospital and is opposed to the Hobart AFL stadium. (Facebook: Prof. George Razay)
In short:
Independent George Razay, a doctor at Launceston General Hospital, has won in the final seat of Bass, after two weeks of vote counting.
Labor's Jess Greene has also been elected as the party's second MP in Bass.
What's next?
The Tasmanian Electoral Commission is set to formally declare the elected MPs on Tuesday.
After two weeks of counting, the winner of the final seat in Tasmanian parliament has been determined, leaving both major parties with the same number of seats they held before the election.
Independent George Razay, a doctor and City of Launceston councillor, has secured the last seat in Bass in an extraordinarily complicated contest.
Labor's Jess Greene has also been elected as the party's second MP in Bass.
The result means that Tasmania's next House of Assembly will have 14 Liberal MPs, 10 Labor MPs, 5 Greens, 1 Shooters, Fishers and Farmers member, and 5 independents.
When the lower house voted no confidence in premier Jeremy Rockliff in June there were 14 Liberals, 10 Labor members, 5 Greens, 1 Jacqui Lambie Network MP, and 5 members sitting in parliament as independents.
Labor has retained two seats in all of the state's seven-member electorates, while the Liberals have lost a seat in Franklin and gained one in Braddon.
Jess Greene (front) with Tasmanian Labor Leader Dean Winter. (Facebook: Jess Greene, Labor Candidate for Bass )
The Tasmanian Electoral Commission is set to formally declare the elected MPs on Tuesday and return the writs to the governor that afternoon.
Both Liberal leader Jeremy Rockliff and Labor Leader Dean Winter are in talks with crossbenchers to form a minority government in Tasmania.
Independent Craig Garland has already ruled out offering the Liberals confidence or supply, and says he would vote no confidence in the Rockliff-led Liberals if a motion was put to parliament again.
Loading...With the Liberals unwilling to work with the Greens, Mr Rockliff requires the support of four of the five remaining crossbenchers to remain in government.
If Mr Winter can rely on The Greens to back him into office, then with Garland's vote, Labor would need the support of two others to form government.
On his website, Professor Razay says he has spent the last "28 years working as a general physician and geriatrician in a busy medical ward at the Launceston General Hospital" and "found it a very satisfying and rewarding occupation".
"When I mentioned my interest in politics, I often got responses such as: 'Are you mad? You are too nice to get into politics',"he said.
"Politics is no different than medicine; it is about getting the job done, helping, and representing my community with honour and dignity."
Professor Razay is against what he describes as a "costly new stadium" at Hobart's Macquarie Point.
Ms Greene is a former unionist and West Tamar councillor.
She fills the void left by retiring Michelle O'Byrne, a former speaker of the house and Labor minister.
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