‘I have given the government a choice’: Jacqui Lambie tight-lipped on Medivac legislation repeal

Jacqui Lambie tight-lipped on talks over repealing Medivac legislation, citing ‘national security’ concerns.

The support of crossbench Senator Jacqui Lambie is crucial to the government’s bid to repeal Medivac legislation. Picture: AAP

Jacqui Lambie has remained tight lipped on negotiations over repealing Medivac legislation, citing “national security” concerns.

Scrapping the bill is listed as the government’s first item for debate in the Senate on Monday, with Scott Morrison in need of a win after the surprise defeat of his union-busting Ensuring Integrity bill on Thursday.

“I have given the Government a choice — it can either pick A or B. And that is where we’re at,” Senator Lambie told ABC’s Insiders.

READ MORE: Lambie won’t change Coalition policy on refugees | Ruling a blow to Medivac repeal bid

The Tasmanian senator refused to go into any detail, including whether resettling 150 refugees in New Zealand was on the table.

“What I am discussing with the Prime Minister and Minister Dutton is all in good faith, and I do not want to say or do anything this morning that may jeopardise those talks, because otherwise, nobody is going to win out of this,” she said.

Jacqui Lambie says the Government hasn't contacted her about the Ensuring Integrity Bill, but she is open to talks #insiders #auspol pic.twitter.com/ygQWCRtHTX

— Insiders ABC (@InsidersABC) November 30, 2019

Senator Lambie said she would continue to talk with the Prime Minister about Medivac this week, but conceded she hadn’t been contacted by anyone in the government over their union busting bill that was voted down after a One Nation backflip.

“I was happy to work with them on the amendments. But you know, not having a go at the Attorney-General … there is no doubt he believed he had this locked in. So that put us on the sidelines. That is now changed, and I’m certainly open for discussion on the bill.”

Senator Lambie said she remained open to supporting the Ensuring Integrity bill, if the government considered her amendment to clean up the CFMEU.