Rockliff avoids snap election as former AG quits politics

The news: Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff will avoid a snap poll after his former attorney-general Elise Archer announced she will quit politics. Last week Archer quit the Liberal party after being sacked from cabinet over bullying allegations and sending "inappropriate" messages.

The numbers: Tasmania's Liberal government held 11 of the state's 25 lower house seats before Archer's departure. Rockliff had given Archer until next Monday to either quit politics or guarantee her vote and confidence.

The context: Archer is the third MP to abandon the Tasmanian Liberals after MPs Lara Alexander and John Tucker quit to stand as independents in May. Alexander and Tucker protested government plans to build a new football stadium, a requirement in the AFL's offer to award Tasmania with a team licence to join the league.