Lambie responds to senator’s shock move to leave group

Jacqui Lambie has responded after Senator Tammy Tyrrell announced she was leaving the Jacqui Lambie Network to sit as an independent.

Jacqui Lambie has broken her silence following Tasmanian senator Tammy Tyrrell’s shock announcement that she was leaving the Jacqui Lambie Network.

The first-term senator on Thursday said that Senator Lambie had “indicated she’s not happy” with the way she had been representing Lambie’s party.

Senator Lambie addressed the controversy for the first time on Friday, releasing a brief statement in which she said she maintained a good relationship with Senator Tyrrell.

“One of my missions has always been to give people who aren’t part of the political class an opportunity to serve the Australian people,” Lambie said.

“I wish Tammy all the best of luck. We will both continue to represent the great state of Tasmania in the Senate.

“This does not change our working relationship or friendship.”

Senator Jacqui Lambie said she wished her former colleague well. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman.

Tammy Tyrrell and Jacqui Lambie in the Senate. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman.

In a statement and video on Thursday, Senator Tyrrell denied she had been “kicked out”.

Rather, she said, Lambie suggested she “go it alone”.

“I am not doing this because I want to harm Jacqui or the Network. I want to see Jacqui and the JLN continue to succeed,” Tyrrell said.

“As it is now clear that the Network does not have confidence in my ability to contribute to that success, I do not wish to do anything in my advocacy for Tasmania that might harm it.”

“With that in mind, the best thing I can do is to step aside to allow the Network to shine. I don’t want to hold them back. I believe this is the best thing for Jacqui, the Network, myself, but most importantly, the people of Tasmania right now.”

Senator Jacqui Lambie embraces Tammy Tyrrell after her first maiden speech. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman.

Senator Tyrrell began working for Senator Lambie in her Burnie office in 2014, and used her first speech to the senate to reminisce on her feeling “terrified, cacking my dacks” on her first day.

“I didn’t get here (to the Senate) because of Jacqui,” she said in the speech.

“We got here together. And I love her to bits, because we are a team.”

Senator Tyrrell’s announcement came as a shock just days after the network became kingmakers in the state election.

The Tasmanian Liberal Party is still in negotiations with first-term MPs from the network in order to form a minority government after Saturday’s vote.