Who is Tammy Tyrrell, the former Jacqui Lambie senator who just defected to Labor?

Former Jacqui Lambie ally Tammy Tyrrell has defected to the Labor Party, becoming the latest party-hopping senator to be lured by Anthony Albanese’s government. Tyrrell, the Tasmanian senator who had a falling-out with Lambie in 2024 , has sat as an independent for more than two years . But on Thursday, in an unexpected move during budget week, the prime minister announced she would be admitted to the Labor Party and would serve out the rest of her term as a government member. “I want to have a seat at the table where I can make some change,” Tyrrell said of her decision. “I’m not going to apologise to anybody for joining Labor. It’s a good fit. I’ve supported Labor very regularly over the last four years. But I’ve also pushed back when things are important, and I will still do that, but respectfully and calmly through caucus. “I’m very proud to be a Labor girl.” The Labor government has increased its numbers in the Senate, from 29 to 30, but still remains short of an overall majority. Albanese will still require support of the Greens, Coalition or crossbench to pass its legislation, in order to reach a Senate majority. Tyrrell’s move to Labor also does make slightly easier a very unlikely path where the government passes legislation by securing the support of the entire Senate crossbench. It would be a diverse coalition including David Pocock, Ralph Babet, Lambie, former Labor senator Fatima Payman, Lidia Thorpe, and four members of One Nation. …