Lambie offsider Tammy Tyrrell elected to Senate; Eric Abetz loses seat
Jacqui Lambie’s former office manager will join her in the Senate, while Tasmania’s veteran conservative Eric Abetz has lost.
Jacqui Lambie’s former office manager will join her in the Senate after taking Tasmania’s sixth Senate spot, while the state’s veteran conservative Liberal Eric Abetz has been defeated.
Tammy Tyrrell, Jacqui Lambie Network lead candidate, was late on Thursday confirmed as elected, alongside Labor’s Anne Urquhart and Helen Polley, Liberals Jonno Duniam and Wendy Askew and Green Peter Whish-Wilson.
“The good people of Tasmania have put their trust in me to do the right thing by them and by the country,” said Senator-elect Tyrrell, after the preference distribution confirmed her election.
“I’m over the moon. I live and breathe Tasmania – I grew up here, I’ve lived here all my life. I know our problems and how to fix them, just like Jacqui does.”
“We heard on the ground that Tasmanians want people-powered politics for our state. I’m proud we did that this election.”
Senator Lambie said it was a “bloody good day for all you Tasmanians out there”. “As if one Lambie up in Canberra wasn’t enough, we’ve given the mainlanders two!” she said. “I guess it‘s their lucky day, too.”
Senator Abetz, a former Howard and Abbott era minister, lost his seat after 28 years, following his party’s decision to dump him to the losable number three spot on its Senate ticket.
The veteran politician ran a well-funded below-the-line voting campaign but it was not enough to finish ahead of Ms Tyrrell, a former employment services worker.
Even so, the arch conservative said he was pleased with the number of below-the-line votes he achieved and thankful for his long career.
“To have been honoured with well over 15,000 personal votes by my fellow Tasmanians is something for which I will always be most appreciative,” he said.
“It has been a privilege to serve my fellow Tasmanians. I am thankful for the opportunities afforded me to assist my fellow Tasmanians through a range of issues, especially in their battle with bureaucracy.”
The result will be formally declared on Friday.
US ‘on track’ to sell Virginia-class subs to Australia
US Congressman and leading AUKUS supporter Joe Courtney, has played down the prospect of the US backtracking from its commitment to sell Australia nuclear-powered submarines.
‘Speak as many, not as one’: Indigenous leaders distance themselves from Thorpe’s tirade
Indigenous community leaders say Senator Lidia Thorpe’s outburst in Parliament House was done 'her way' but that Aboriginals had a 'right to be negotiated with', as they discussed meeting King Charles.