The Tasmanian branch of the Liberal Party has finalised its Senate election ticket for the upcoming 2028 federal poll, announcing a new leadership line-up following the abrupt departures of sitting senators Jonno Duniam and Wendy Askew, who both chose to step away from politics earlier this year. At a meeting of party pre-selectors held on Saturday, members voted to install Chris Gatenby, a long-serving senior political adviser to current Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff, as the lead candidate on the party’s Senate ticket. Taking the second position on the ticket is Sarah Courtney, a former high-ranking Tasmanian state government minister, who will fill the vacancy left by Askew’s planned exit. Latrobe City Councillor Jacki Martin will complete the three-person ticket as the third candidate. Both Duniam and Askew announced their decisions to forgo re-election pre-selection earlier in 2025, citing personal family commitments as the core motivation for their departures from federal parliamentary politics. In a public statement released in June, Duniam reflected on his 25-year career in Australian politics, noting that he had dedicated the vast majority of his time and energy to his political responsibilities, often prioritising work over time with his loved ones. “Twenty-five years is a long time in any vocation, and when you take your role seriously, it always comes first. It is time I reversed my priorities and I can’t do that if I am to stay in politics,” Duniam said. The outgoing senator acknowledged that his retirement comes at a challenging period for the federal Liberal-National Coalition, but expressed confidence in the party’s current direction. “But, I am confident that my friends across both the Liberal Party and the National Party are firmly on the right path,” he added. Askew echoed Duniam’s reasoning, pointing to family considerations as the driving force behind her choice to step down. When she first entered the Senate in April 2019 following a casual vacancy, Askew noted that no politician can predict how long their tenure in office will last, a observation she repeated when announcing her retirement. Gatenby, the new lead Senate candidate, has been a senior adviser to Premier Rockliff since August 2025, bringing with him decades of experience across federal and state political spheres. Before his role in Rockliff’s office, he held a series of senior political positions including electorate adviser, senior adviser, and chief of staff for former federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck. A father of two, Gatenby previously contested the lower house seat of Bass at the 2025 federal election, ultimately falling short of victory against Labor candidate Jess Teesdale. For her part, Courtney brings extensive experience in Tasmanian state governance to the ticket. She held a seat in the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 2014 through 2022, when she resigned from parliament after contracting COVID-19 while on an overseas holiday in France. During her time in state cabinet, Courtney served as Tasmania’s Minister for Health, where she led the state government’s initial public health response to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, cementing her reputation as a senior and capable leader within the state Liberal Party.
Premier’s adviser, former minister to replace Senators Duniam, Asker on Tasmania ticket
