Tasmania's Liberal government looks set to be pushed into minority today when two MPs leave the party to become independents, in a move linked to worries about a $715 million stadium in Hobart.
The ABC is reporting Lara Alexander and John Tucker who represent seats in the state's north, plan to resign as both party members and members of the parliamentary Liberal Party.
They will also leave their parliamentary positions.
The two MPs will continue to serve their electorates as independents on the crossbench.
The pair have raised concerns about how Hobart's $715 million Macquarie Point Stadium will impact Tasmania's future debt.
Alexander also questioned the transparency of government decision making, and Tucker raised concerns about a proposed undersea and underground electricity link between Tasmania and Victoria.
The Australian Football League (AFL) stipulated a stadium must be built in Hobart before it would grant a licence for a team in Tasmania.
Both Alexander and Tucker raised concerns decisions about the stadium had been made by state cabinet and lacked transparency.
Alexander told the ABC she would put the building project under scrutiny as an independent MP.
"Being an independent, I do feel that I am more free in actually presenting policies and positions and suggesting solutions to some of the critical issues," she said.
Tucker said he wanted to ensure Tasmania would not be saddled with a "nightmare" debt load in the future.
"I want to ensure that these are the right decisions for the Tasmanian taxpayer, so we're not going to create a nightmare for them going forward with the debt load," he told the ABC.
Until today, the Liberal government of Premier Jeremy Rockliff has held a slim majority of 13 of 25 seats in the House of Assembly.
But when it becomes a minority government, the Liberals will be forced to negotiate with other parties and independents to pass legislation.
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