Tasmanian Premier Announces Cabinet Reshuffle After Two Ministerial Resignations

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff has announced a reshuffle of his cabinet, following the resignation of former racing minister Jane Howlett from the frontbench on Tuesday.

Roger Jaensch will take on the portfolios for Tourism, Hospitality and Events; Minister for Racing; Minister for Community and Multicultural Affairs; and Minister for the Arts.

Current Minister for Education, Children and Youth, and Disability Services, Jo Palmer, has also been appointed Minister for Women and the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence.

Ms Palmer and Mr Jaensch were sworn in on Wednesday morning.

In less than three weeks, the Tasmanian government has seen two ministers relinquish their portfolios and move to the backbench.

Madeleine Ogilvie resigned as a minister in late May, amid accusations she misled parliament, after revealing her involvement in a Supreme Court matter, months after saying she was not connected to any legal action.

Ms Howlett resigned less than an hour before parliament was due to sit on Tuesday, following mounting pressure to move to the backbench over $405,000 in taxpayer money being used to pay her legal fees.

Ms Howlett has also faced questions over conflicting evidence about what her office knew about a breach of caretaker conventions during the last election.

Asked if he would admit that the former ministers had misled parliament or broken the ministerial code of conduct, Mr Rockliff said they had already "paid a very high price".