Constitutional lawyer, Professor Anne Twomey, answers the consitutional questions about whether the Premier could lose Ashgrove but remain Premier (The Conversation, 30.1.15). She concludes that while it might be constitutionally acceptable:
‘The real question would be whether it would be politically acceptable. Once a party leader has been rejected by the people of his or her own electorate, there is a real question as to whether he or she is still publicly acceptable as premier. There may also be a strong political expectation that he would resign as premier, especially if he had given a prior commitment to do so. Ultimately, while the constitutional constraints are important, the political constraints are most likely to rule the day.’