Tasmanian senator Tammy Tyrrell has joined the Australian Labor Party after sitting as an independent on the crossbench.
The move strengthens Labor’s position in the Senate and in Tasmania, where the government holds a narrow political base.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made the announcement in Parliament House on May 14, where Senator Tyrrell stood alongside him in the parliamentary corridor.
Albanese said Tyrrell would become part of Labor’s “strong” Tasmanian team after being formally admitted through the party’s national executive.
He praised her record in the Senate, describing her as a constructive negotiator who had consistently advocated for Tasmanians while serving as an independent senator.
“People across Tasmania know her as a fighter. She is someone who is warm, genuinely funny, and compassionate. She also never gives up on people,” Albanese said.
The Prime Minister also acknowledged her work on issues including aged care reform, cost-of-living pressures, and support for wine tourism.
Senator Tyrrell said she was proud to join Labor and believed the move would allow her to make a greater impact for Tasmania.
“As a senator, I want to have a seat at the table where I can make the most change,” she said.
“I know exactly what Tasmanians are wanting out of this current government and the people that represent it.”
She defended her decision to leave the crossbench and join a party, saying the move was a good fit.
From Lambie Network to Labor
Senator Tyrrell was elected to the Senate for Tasmania in 2022 as a member of the Jacqui Lambie Network.She served with the party until March 2024, before moving to the crossbench and later becoming Independent Whip in July that year.
Before entering Parliament, Tyrrell worked as a staffer for fellow Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie.
Her personal website had previously described her as a senator who “doesn’t answer to a party—she answers to you.”
