TASMANIAN senator-elect Jacqui Lambie has proposed compulsory military service as an antidote to youth unemployment.

The Palmer United Party member, who will join the Senate in July, believes the return of a national service scheme would not only provide young people with desirable work skills, but also help protect Australia in the event of war.

“What I’m saying is you should stand for your country,” Ms Lambie told last night’s Q&A program on ABC1.

“We’ve got 50,000 full time service personnel, that’s just on half the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and you know you can sit there and have a bit of a laugh but if war shows up on our shores then we’re in trouble.”

Ms Lambie, who was one of the panellists on the popular television show, was responding to an audience member’s question about the youth unemployment crisis.

An army veteran herself, Ms Lambie said the idea emerged while speaking with constituents during her election campaign.

“If there was one thing that people have mentioned to me and I’ll say it straight down the line, it’s opening up national service in our military again,” Ms Lambie said.

“You can put them in for 12 months, I’m not saying they sign on for war.

“In six weeks we could have these guys with truck licences, we can have them with clerical experience ... it’s got to be better than being on the dole,” she said.

Ms Lambie also suggested forcing young people to volunteer for the State Emergency Service or charities.

“I think we need to do a bit of tough love and if you’re not going to go out there and volunteer yourself for charity services or you’re not going to go and volunteer yourself for SES then you know what, it’s time to cut your dole back,” she said.

Show host Tony Jones asked Ms Lambie if the other PUP representatives including party leader Clive Palmer were “on board” with the idea of national service.

“I haven’t spoken to the other senators about national service, all I’m doing is throwing the ideas out there,” Ms Lambie replied.