A Tasmanian Labor MP running to be the party's next leader says "a hard-left factional group of powerbrokers" had led it to three consecutive defeats - and that it is time to change.
Braddon MP Shane Broad is contesting David O'Byrne for the leadership after Rebecca White announced she would not be re-contesting the position she has held for four years.
Labor lost its third straight state election this month, with its early campaign marred by factional infighting and instability, including a popular mayor being at first overlooked and then endorsed after federal intervention.
Dr Broad told ABC Radio Hobart "factional powerbrokers" dictated the party's leadership and political strategy, and have "reached in" to the Tasmanian party leader's office.
He's called for the national executive to intervene and take away that power.
"They've had influence . now they've pushed Rebecca White out, and there's no sign that I can see that anything's changing apart from a review," Dr Broad said.
Ms White said on Saturday that the decision not to re-contest the leadership was entirely hers, but Dr Broad said that "there was a lot of pressure exerted on her" to relinquish the role.
Different voices 'pushed out'
Dr Broad said that "moderate voices" had been pushed out of the party, which he said had made Labor "unelectable".
"We have to win votes off the Liberals, that is just a fact, and we're not going to do that unless moderate voices can have their say," he said.
He said a rewriting of rules around leadership ballots meant that the Left faction controls who becomes leader of the party.
The leader was previously appointed by a vote of the parliamentary party, but is now determined by party members, and state conference delegates, with the bulk of both hailing from the Left faction.
The Left faction is controlled by union leaders, including Tim Jacobson and Robbie Moore from the Health and Community Services Union (HACSU).
Mr O'Byrne is a former state and national secretary of United Voice, formerly known as the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union (LHMU).
"The dominant faction, if there is a ballot, virtually appoints the leader, because they have the numbers and they are good at enforcing discipline in their numbers," Dr Broad said.
"They have power, they have a veto power on the leadership, and not only that, they have a veto power, I believe, on people like me - moderate voices in the Labor Party - getting into positions of leadership.
"This has to end. We have to have moderate voices coming through because that's the only pathway to government."
The first few weeks of Labor's state election campaign were overshadowed by factional issues and the resignation of left-aligned party president Ben McGregor as a candidate over "inappropriate" texts he sent almost a decade ago.
Dr Broad said change was urgently needed to avoid similar issues in the future.
"There has to be some action today, there has to be some willingness to share the senior roles within Labor and there has to be action and consequences for people who spiked the first two weeks of our campaign," he said.
Party should 'return to centre'
Dr Broad said he had a different view to Mr O'Byrne around what Labor's future direction should be, calling for it to "return to the centre".
"We need to be talking about how Tasmania is open for business, how we want to protect people's jobs, we want everyone to have a fair go and we want people to get the services that they require," he said.
He acknowledged standing for the leadership was "potentially a fool's errand" but said a lot of traditional Labor supporters had become disillusioned with the party.
"We've just had a loss, I believe that now's the time to have the debate, to bring in the changes that we need right now," he said.
Dr Broad said Mr O'Byrne is "a fantastic guy" and had "a lot to offer" but said he was campaigning for systemic reform, rather than directly against his opponent.
The process to elect Labor's new leader is expected to take several weeks.