CANBERRA, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Liberal Party has secured a second term as the majority government of Tasmania, the island state off the continent's south-east coast.
The center-right Liberals, led by Premier Will Hodgman, secured the 13 seats required to form a majority government in the state despite a 5.5 percent swing in favor of the Opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP).
The result means that Hodgman is only the second Liberal premier in Tasmanian history to win consecutive elections with a clear majority having taken power in 2014.
"Four years ago Tasmanians voted for change, tonight they have voted for no change," Hodgman said in his victory speech on Saturday night.
"(They voted) to stick to the direction this state is heading in and take our state to the next level."
Just hours before polling closed on Saturday, the family of Tasmanian Attorney-General (AG) Vanessa Goodwin confirmed she had passed away after a battle with brain cancer.
"I thank you, Vanessa, for what you have done to help me and our party be the very best it can be," Hodgman said.
With two seats yet to be declared, the Liberals had won 13 and ALP nine, up from seven in 2014, while the Tasmanian Greens have been all but vanquished having won only one seat when counting was suspended on Saturday.
