Tony Rundle

Tony Rundle (Parliament of Tasmania)

Anthony Maxwell (Tony) Rundle (b 1939), politician, was elected Liberal Premier in 1996 after the resignation of Ray Groom. A former real estate agent and television journalist, Rundle was elected to parliament in 1986. As Premier, Rundle adopted a reformist agenda, including the proposed sale of the Hydro-Electric Commission and a reduction in the number of MPs. Legislation reducing the Legislative Council from 19 seats to 15 and the House of Assembly from 35 to 25 was passed shortly before the 1998 election. However Rundle did not benefit from the new model, with the Liberals winning only 10 seats, and Labor 14. He stayed on as opposition leader for twelve months, then moved to the backbench until his retirement in 2002.

Stephen Tanner