Comeback on for sassy battler

Jacqui Lambie appears to have made a comeback to federal politics. The plain-talking former soldier turned reality TV star looks to have pulled off a battler’s fightback, celebrating last night at the Ulverstone Football Club as early results indicated her return.

Jacqui Lambie casts her vote in Burnie. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

JACQUI Lambie appears to have made a comeback to federal politics.

The plain-talking former soldier turned reality TV star looks to have pulled off a battler’s fightback behind two returned Labor MPs, two Liberal MPs and Greens senator Nick McKim.

The independent last night celebrated at the Ulverstone Football Club as early results indicated her return.

“You know what, Scott Morrison? If I am lucky and I hold that balance of power, I hope to God you and your people treat me a hell of a lot better than what they did in the three and a half years I was up here,” she told ABC TV.

“Otherwise, mate, if I’m part of that balance of power, we’re going to have a lot of difficulty getting things through unless it’s going to cost you a lot of money, which is great for Tasmania because I’ll be able to deliver. You know what? Drop the attitude.”

Her previous Senate role was cut short in 2017 when she was revealed as a dual citizen and she was replaced by running mate Steve Martin, who promptly turned National. His Senate career appears over for now.

Ms Lambie joined Labor senators Carol Brown and Catryna Bilyk, Liberal senator Richard Colbeck and party newcomer Claire Chandler, and Nick McKim — all looking likely to represent Tasmania in Canberra.

Senator Colbeck pointed out the state’s federal Liberal team had gone from no women in January to three as of yesterday, counting Bass MHR Bridget Archer, senator-elect Claire Chandler and Senator Wendy Askew.

“The PM has run, I think, an extraordinary campaign and we’ve won a really good campaign down here and I think it’s paid dividends.”

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Senator Colbeck was the Tasmanian Liberal campaign spokesman and accompanied Mr Morrison on his many visits to the state’s northern seats.

He said it was in the Prime Minister’s hands whether he received a reward if there was a Cabinet reshuffle.

Labor senator Lisa Singh seemed a slim chance to be returned after again falling prey to factional power plays.

She did not run a below-the-line campaign with the same energy that had her returned to the Senate in 2016.

Senator Bilyk said it was too soon to know the final result. “We will have to wait until the pre-polls have been counted,” she said.

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