Jacqui Lambie demoted as deputy Senate leader, deputy whip of Palmer United Party

Updated

The head of the Palmer United Party (PUP), Clive Palmer, says Jacqui Lambie has been demoted by the parliamentary party.

Mr Palmer said Senator Lambie has been removed as deputy Senate leader and deputy whip of the party for failing to attend three party meetings this week.

The move follows a deepening animosity between Mr Palmer and Senator Lambie over her comments about party colleagues and political positions.

Mr Palmer said Senator Lambie had not been expelled from the party, but he wants her to sort out her problems.

"We've also suspended her from attending any party room meetings until such time as she gives an undertaking not to attack individual party members and to attend party meetings and to abide by majority decision and normal party procedure," he said.

"If an individual is undergoing any sort of difficulties it's easy to discard them but it's harder to stick with them and try to give them some sort of assistance.

"On a personal level we have no animosity toward her and we hope she will sort out her problems."

Senator Lambie spoke to reporters in Canberra this morning and explained her decision to split from PUP on the Government's changes to financial advice laws.

"I told Clive Palmer I had reservations about what was going on," she said.

"I have to do what's right for my Tasmanians. I didn't believe we were doing the right thing.

"I have to do what's right by my conscience and I believe that we allowed it to be watered down and that's an issue I have with it.

"I've had that issue, along with the first couple of weeks of being up in the Senate were very difficult.

"I've found my way now. You know what? Sometimes when you make it wrong you have to go back in there and make it right. That's exactly what I'm doing now."

I'd like to know what we've done wrong: Lazarus

PUP Senate leader Glenn Lazarus called on Senator Lambie to talk with her "bewildered colleagues".

"There've been no discussions with Jacqui Lambie. We've repeatedly asked her to come along to party room meetings and she's not bothered showing up. I'm in the dark as much as you are," he said.

"It's not a good look and it's obviously disruptive, but we can't do anything unless Jacqui talks to us and we can sort it out.

"I'm obviously hoping she doesn't want to leave the party. I hope we can sort out whatever the issue is."

He said his colleagues had not spoken about asking her to leave the party.

"I love Jacqui. I think we get on really well," he said.

"The party has achieved quite a number of things throughout the year and I'm just a bit bewildered about the fact that she won't talk to us.

"I'd like to know what we've done wrong."

Lambie hasn't spoken to PUP colleagues since last month

Senator Lambie said on Monday she would consider her position with the party after revealing she had not spoken to any of her PUP colleagues since last month.

Senator Lambie said she would not be seeking to leave the party, but admitted relations had turned frosty.

She split from her party to vote against the Federal Government's revised social services bill and voted against anti-doping legislation because of her stance of Defence Force pay.

Last week Mr Palmer expelled Senator Lambie's chief of staff Rob Messenger from the party, accusing him of spreading lies and using Senator Lambie as a mouthpiece.

On Friday, Mr Palmer said he would not be asking Senator Lambie to resign from her position, despite growing tensions between the pair.

"We haven't asked her to leave. She's a member of the Palmer United Party, she was elected as a Palmer United senator and she should follow the Palmer United procedures like the Labor Party or the Liberal Party," he said.

"If you've got a proposal, you bring it to the party room, there's a vote on it and you don't criticise other members of the party."

Mr Palmer described Senator Lambie as a "drama queen" over her outspoken criticism of other party members and her threats to oppose all Government legislation.

Senator Lambie hit back, suggesting she would be a better leader of the party and saying she should have run for the Senate on her own merit.

Topics: minor-parties, political-parties, government-and-politics, clive-palmer, australia, qld, tas

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