MEANWHILE ... O’BYRNE’S HALFWAY THERE

DAVID O’Byrne is set to become the new state leader of the Labor Party.

It now seems certain that Rebecca White will not recontest the leadership when Labor’s parliamentary members meet on Monday to discuss the leadership.

Mr O’Byrne, left, will be challenged by Shane Broad but the Braddon MHA is not expected to have enough support. A special meeting of Labor’s administrative committee was held in Hobart on Friday afternoon and agreed to broad terms of reference for an external review of the party’s performance at the May 1 election.

Ms White, who was elected leader in March 2017, was present at the short meeting but did not speak about her leadership.

Labor insiders say Ms White and Mr O’Byrne have been locked in negotiations all week on the leadership.

Mr O’Byrne was tightlipped on the issue on Friday.

“The PLP and the party are working through a process,” he said. “I’m not saying anything. I’m talking to my colleagues as we all are talking together about how best Labor in Tasmania moves forward.”

Supporters of Mr O’Byrne say he is very popular with members and will win Labor government at the next election.

“He’s come from core Labor values, he works hard, is dedicated and is highly respected in the community too,” his supporter said.

“He’ll talk to anyone and he is a working class hero. He will win us government.”

The supporter said he hoped Ms White would support Mr O’Byrne, after he had been loyal to her.

Ms White had wanted to stay as leader, saying she had “unfinished business”.

Some in the Left faction, of which she has been a member, are angry that she sought federal intervention to overturn the decision not to endorse Kingborough Mayor Dean Winter and had party president Ben McGregor removed as a Clark candidate for inappropriate texts to a colleague.

The supporter of Mr O’Byrne said he hoped Mr McGregor, who has threatened to take legal action against Ms White, would continue as president.

Some Labor sources say Ms White, pictured, negotiated an “exit strategy” as part of her decision not to recontest the leadership.

This could be part of the election review agreed to by the administrative committee.

The review will focus on two broad areas including electoral performance and party governance and structure.

Other Labor sources say Mr O’Byrne is “a wholly owned subsidiary of HACSU (the health union)”. “He won’t have an easy ride.”

Another source said: “The hard Left, by not supporting Dean Winter’s nomination, created the crisis so Rebecca couldn’t win and now they want to blame her for losing.”