Who is Tammy Tyrrell, the former Jacqui Lambie senator who just defected to Labor? | Tasmania
Former Jacqui Lambie ally Tammy Tyrrell has defected to Labor and became the last senator nominated from the party by Anthony Albanese’s government.
Tasmanian senator Tyrrell, who fell out with Lambie in 2024, has been serving as an independent for more than two years. But on Thursday, in an unexpected move during budget week, the prime minister announced he would be welcomed into the Labor Party and spend the remainder of his term as a member of the government.
“I want to have a place at the table where I can make some change,” Tyrrell said of his decision.
“I won’t apologize to anyone for joining the Labor Party. It’s a good fit. I’ve supported Labor very regularly over the last four years. But I’ve also stepped back when things are important and I’ll still do that, but respectfully and calmly through meetings.”
“I am very proud to be a worker’s daughter.”
The Labor government increased its seat in the Senate from 29 to 30 but still lacks an overall majority. Albanese will still need the support of the Greens, the Coalition or the crossover group to pass legislation to reach a Senate majority.
Tyrrell’s switch to Labor also eases the government’s unlikely path to passing legislation with the support of all members of the Senate. It will be a diverse coalition including David Pocock, Ralph Babet, Lambie, former Labor senator Fatima Payman, Lidia Thorpe and four members of One Nation.
Albanese praised her as “warm, genuinely funny and caring” at a press conference to announce her split with Tyrrell.
“He is an advocate for the cost-of-living pressures facing Tasmanians and someone who has spent his life helping others. People in Tasmania know him as a warrior,” he said.
“He is someone with whom I have developed a relationship over a period of time since his election to the Senate, as he has been in the House of Representatives and the Senate. He is an outspoken person.
“He advocates for people and now he will take that advocacy to the Labor Party as a member of the Labor Party and be able to sit and participate as a member of government to be more effective in getting things done.”
Tyrrell initially joined Lambie’s party as a staff member, but won the senate seat held by former Liberal Eric Abetz in 2022. He cited Lambie’s dissatisfaction with him as the reason for his resignation from the party in 2024 and has sat as an independent ever since.
He becomes the second senator to join Labor this term after former Greens senator Dorinda Cox announced her move in June 2025, shortly after the federal election.
