Prime Minister weighs in on Elise Archer’s resignation from Tasmanian parliament

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has addressed the sensational resignation of Tasmania’s Attorney-General Elise Archer, giving his thoughts on Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s handling of the situation.

Former Attorney-General Elise Archer looks on as Premier Jeremy Rockliff speaks at a media conference. Picture: Chris Kidd

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s decision to ask for Attorney-General Elise Archer’s resignation over disparaging comments she made about her Liberal colleagues and allegations she bullied staff.

Mr Rockliff asked Ms Archer for her resignation last Friday, following leaked texts in which she demeaned fellow government MPs, including the Premier and his predecessor in the top job, Peter Gutwein. Ms Archer has also indicated she will resign from parliament.

Ms Archer denies the bullying allegations and says a remark she made in a WhatsApp message about being “sick of victim-survivors” of child sexual abuse was “taken out of context” and that she is being subjected to an orchestrated smear campaign.

Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Max Mason-Hubers

Appearing on ABC Radio on Monday morning, the Prime Minister weighed into the controversy, saying Mr Rockliff had made the right call in requesting that the Attorney-General step down.

“Quite clearly, there has been instability in the Tasmanian government,” he said. “And that is very unfortunate.”

“I think that, from my understanding of what occurred, I think the Attorney-General’s position clearly was not tenable to stay where she was.

“But those issues are a matter for Tasmania.”

Mr Albanese said he had a “good working relationship” with Mr Rockliff.

Ms Archer’s departure has plunged Tasmania’s Liberal minority government into further instability, with a recount set to occur for her seat in Clark, which Hobart councillor Simon Behrakis is widely tipped to win.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff announces the resignation of Attorney-General Elise Archer from parliament. Picture: Rob Burnett

However, Ms Archer suggested on Sunday that she was potentially reconsidering her decision to leave parliament and that she could sit on the crossbench as an independent.

If she did so, she would be the third Liberal MP to defect from the government this year, joining Lyons MP John Tucker and Bass MP Lara Alexander.

This would leave the government with just 10 MPs in the lower house compared to the Labor Opposition’s eight. However, unlike Mr Tucker and Mrs Alexander, Ms Archer has not indicated she would guarantee confidence and supply, which would increase the prospect of an early election being triggered.

Elise Archer. Question time in the Tasmanian parliament. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The former first law officer told the Mercury on Saturday that her comment about victim-survivors of child sexual abuse came after “a close family member, who is a victim-survivor, was attacking me in the media which was a complete shock”.

“That’s what was meant by my comment, as others had jumped on board to personally attack me,” she said.

“I have always been a huge advocate for victim survivors with all the law reform I’ve achieved and being responsible for the [Commission of Inquiry].

“These texts in isolation are so damaging when it was strictly a reference to that.”

Originally published as Prime Minister weighs in on Elise Archer’s resignation from Tasmanian parliament