Ousted Tasmanian attorney-general Elise Archer could stay in parliament as independent

Australia’s last Liberal government may be forced from office by Elise Archer after she walked back her threat to leave parliament.

Elise Archer says she might consider providing confidence and supply if the party changed leader. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Australia’s last Liberal government may be forced from office by the woman it just dumped, with former attorney-general Elise Archer considering remaining in parliament to back a no-­confidence motion in Premier Jeremy Rockliff.

Ms Archer on Friday quit her post and the Liberal Party and vowed to leave parliament, after The Australian revealed she was facing a probe into allegations of workplace bullying and ­appeared to have written a string of ­offensive WhatsApp mes­sages.

The 52-year-old told The Australian on Sunday she was reconsidering her vow to quit parliament and might remain as an independent and back a no-confidence motion .

“In relation to my intention to resign from parliament, I’ve received an outpouring of support from the community so I am taking some time to reconsider,” Ms Archer said.

If she decided to remain as an independent, she would back a no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff’s minority government, although she might consider providing confidence and supply if the party changed leader. “It depends who,” she  said.

Until now, the most likely heir apparent to Mr Rockliff has been his deputy and Treasurer, Michael Ferguson but Ms ­Archer is understood to be hostile to Mr Ferguson, saying he appeared to have been in lock-step with Mr Rockliff in his treatment of her.

“I note he (Mr Ferguson) has supported the Premier’s actions and my treatment in not affording any procedural fairness in recent days,” she said.

Her comments could ­provoke a leadership spill by Liberal MPs seeking to avoid an election by electing a leader in whom Ms Archer might express confidence.

Any new leader would also need the support of the other two former Liberals who quit in May to sit as independents.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Deputy Premier Michael Ferguson announce the resignation of Elise Archer. Picture: Rob Burnett

The prospect of Ms Archer remaining as a hostile independent could also prompt Mr Rockliff to call a snap early ­election.

It is increasingly uncertain that state parliament will resume on October 17, as planned, even if Ms Archer does decide to quit as an MP, allowing the election of another Liberal on a recount.

No party is ready for a state election, with the next poll due in May 2025.

Labor has made it clear it lacks ­confidence in the minority government, which as it stands has just 10 of the 25 seats in the House of Assembly.

However, Labor leader ­Rebecca White on Sunday said parliament should resume on October 17 to deal with ­outstanding matters related to the recent commission of inquiry into government responses to child sex abuse.

Ms White even offered a pair if Ms Archer had left the parliament but her replacement was yet to be elected on recount.

Labor or the other four independents MPs could conceivably be persuaded to provide confidence until this commission of inquiry business was concluded.

Ms Archer, who had been the nation’s most senior female Liberal office-holder, has not denied sending a host of WhatsApp messages, including labelling Mr Rockliff “too gutless to be leader”, former premier Will Hodgman “a liar”, her departmental secretary as “f..king useless” and a male minister as “shit”.

On Sunday, she said a new leaked message saying she was “sick of victim-survivors” of child sex abuse had been “taken out of context”.

Mr Rockliff indicated this message, and his desire to ensure a healthy workplace culture, were the reasons for his decision to seek Ms Archer’s resignation, rather than her description of him.

Ms Archer said the bullying allegations, made to the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner by at least two current or former staff, were “false” and had “devastated” her staff.

“This is certainly not the person they know,” she said.

“This whole thing has been a set up about texts from years ago to now disgruntled ex-staff,” she said.

“(They are) being used, I believe, by those who want me gone.”

The government did “not deserve even to negotiate with me now … They’ve made their bed,” she said.

She questioned the Premier’s ability to implement the recommendations of the commission of inquiry.

Mr Rockliff denied he or his office had conspired to leak messages to force Ms Archer’s resignation, insisting it was to set a standard.

“If culture is to change in this state, it requires leadership and accountability – starting at the top, no matter how difficult those decisions might be,” the Premier said.

Mr Rockliff became the last Liberal premier in office across the nation after the defeat in March of ­the three-term NSW Coalition government.