Jacqui Lambie quits Palmer United Party
Jacquie Lambie has announced she has quit the Palmer United Party and will sit as an independent in the senate.
The senator claimed her issues with the PUP party had caused uncertainty for the Tasmanian people.
"My resignation today will end that damaging speculation and uncertainty," she told parliament.
"I must be free to vote in the Senate in the best interest of Tasmanians"
Her resignation leaves the party with two senators in the upper house.
It comes as parliament is set to debate counter-terrorism legislation, university funding reform, visa crackdowns and the Japan free trade agreement.
Clive Palmer has taken an extraordinary swipe at demoted senator Jackie Lambie saying she lied to the Senate and plans to set up her own political party. Photo: AAP
A war of words between Senator Lambie and party leader Clive Palmer has dragged on for weeks, with the outspoken former soldier expected to announce she is quitting the party within days.
After a fashion makeover and weekend of soul searching in a Tasmanian log cabin Senator Lambie is still yet to decide on her political future.
Her chief of staff Rob Messenger told AAP any decision about Senator Lambie's future would be made after a meeting with her family friend, Tasmanian barrister Glynn Williams late on Monday.
Palmer's new swipe at Lambie
Clive Palmer has ripped into renegade senator Jacqui Lambie before her likely resignation from his party, suggesting she wrongly claimed a disability payment and accusing her of lying to the media and her colleagues.
Senator Lambie, who has been brawling with Mr Palmer for weeks demanding he support her push to get better pay for military personnel, is threatening to break free of the Palmer United Party and sit as an independent.
Senator Lambie's defection would be a big blow to Mr Palmer's ability to demand legislative concessions from the Government.
A split from the party would also complicate Government efforts to pass Bills through the Upper House.
Jacqui Lambie's split from the Palmer United Party will make life much tougher for the government. Photo: AAP
Mr Palmer attacked Senator Lambie yesterday as a person of "questionable honesty", complaining she would not have been elected without his support. He said she was receiving a disability support pension at the same time she was a full-time employee of his party.
"When you start a new party like our party the established parties and others try to wreck it," Mr Palmer told the ABC's AM program.
"She's been sent in there by someone to cause trouble and I think that's the reality of it."
Mr Palmer said Senator Lambie was elected to the Senate by 22,000 Tasmanians who voted above the line for PUP but she got only 1500 votes herself.
"You've only got to look at what happened to all the other parties, the tactics that were used to discredit them ... and there's no reason to think that wouldn't happen to our party," he said.
"The question remains was she receiving disability payments for being unable to work while receiving a full-time salary at the same time from the Palmer United Party".
"Senator Lambie flew at the cost and expense of the Palmer United Party to Queensland and South Australia to visit veterans groups. She also met with Pauline Hanson."
"She completed her deception by seeking to establish a public profile by using Palmer United to create conflict that did not exist and lied repeatedly to the media about her colleagues," Mr Palmer said.
"She continues to act dishonestly and lie about me and other party members to gain media attention."
Jacqui Lambie flew to Tasmania to think about her future in the Palmer United Party. Photo: AAP
Arriving in Canberra yesterday before the final parliamentary sitting period, Senator Lambie said she was "coming to the end of the rope" in dealing with Mr Palmer.
She was seeking legal advice on leaving PUP before ultimately making her decision.
