Tasmania, the island state in the south of Australia, will head to the polls on May 1, a year sooner than planned, after Speaker Sue Hickey quit the party, plunging the state Liberal government into a minority. Premier Peter Gutwein on Friday said, “Tasmania can’t afford the uncertainty of minority government. Now more than ever, we need a strong, stable majority government.” Gutwein defended the timing of the election being so close to when Labor Opposition Leader Rebecca White is set to give birth in June. “I have given this a great deal of thought,” Gutwein said. “Obviously an election later this year is completely out of the question.” In a post on Twitter, White indicated that she had no gripes. “Plenty of pregnant woman continue to work,” she wrote. “I’m no different and I can assure everyone that as far as I’m concerned it’s game on!” The Liberal government entered minority …