Tasmanian senator Tammy Tyrrell has joined the Labor Party, ending her stint as an independent and handing the Albanese government another vote in the Senate.
Tyrrell announced the move alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Thursday, saying she wanted “a seat at the table where I can make the most change and bring back the good stuff to Tasmania”.
She will be admitted through Labor’s National Executive Committee and join the Labor Caucus immediately.
“I’m proud to join Labor,” Tyrrell said.
“It’s a good fit. I’ve supported Labor very regularly over the last four years. But I’ve also pushed back when things for Tasmania is important.”
She said she would continue to speak up inside the party room.
“I’ll still do that, but I’ll do it respectfully and calmly within Caucus. And I’m very proud to be a Labor girl,” she said.
Albanese welcomed Tyrrell to the team and praised her work as a crossbencher.
“Tammy has successfully participated in the Senate and been a good-faith negotiator, making a difference for Tasmania as an independent,” he said.
He pointed to her role in saving the Australian Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grants Program and her push for an aged care review.
The move marks Tyrrell’s third political home in a single term.
She was elected in 2022 on the Jacqui Lambie Network ticket, quit JLN to sit as an independent in March 2024 and has now signed up with Labor.
Tyrrell pushed back when asked whether she had betrayed voters who chose an independent.
“The people of Tasmania need strong voices who are not afraid to admit when things need to be changed,” she said.
She flagged she may contest the next election under the Labor banner, saying she wanted to serve “the next two years of my term and maybe into the next term as well”.
Tyrrell has openly opposed several Labor positions, including the vaping ban and the Macquarie Point stadium in Hobart.
