Tammy Tyrrell (born 1 August 1970) is an Australian politician, currently a senator in the Australian Federal Parliament representing Tasmania. She ran in the 2022 federal election to represent Tasmania in the Senate, and was elected to fill the sixth vacancy.[2] Her 6-year term started on 1 July 2022.[1]
Career
Tyrell has had a varied work history, from working at a petrol station to a farm, as well as working as an employment training adviser for a job agency.[3]
From 2014 to 2022, she worked as a staff member for Senator Jacqui Lambie.[4]
Senate
Tyrell was elected to the Federal Senate. Early in her senate term, she advocated for more affordable homes for Tasmania,[5]spoke against an $18 million dollar personal grant for the Governor-General,[6] helped retain the Australian Wine Tourism and Cellar Door Grants program,[7] and advocated for a review into aged care facilities in Tasmania.[8]
Childcare
Tyrrell has spoken in the Senate on early childhood education and care. During July 2024 and August 2024 she has been campaigning to keep small childhood day care facilities open and has called upon both federal and state governments to sort iron out regulation loophole.[9]
Freight costs
On 21 August, 2024, Tyrrell was asked to chair one of the Australian Senate committees, heading an enquiry into the effectiveness of the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme.[10]
Supermarket pricing
Tyrell was appointed to the Select Committee on Supermarket Prices in December 2023. This committee looked at price gouging practices. Tyrell pointed out that in Tasmania, there is even less competition and called for retailers such as Aldi to be incentivised to come to the island.[11]
Cannabis
The Legalising Cannabis Bill 2023, introduced by the Australian Greens into the Senate in 2023, was put to a vote in November 2024.[12] Tyrrell joined all senators of the Greens and fellow independent senator Lidia Thorpe in voting in favour of the bill, which would have legalised cannabis at the federal level for adult use. The bill was ultimately defeated with 13 votes in favour and 24 against.[12]
Election History
She was selected as the lead candidate on the Jacqui Lambie Network's Senate ticket for the 2022 federal election, and won election, defeating incumbent senator Eric Abetz.[13] On 28 March 2024, Tyrrell announced she would resign from the Jacqui Lambie Network (JLN) to sit as an independent, saying that Lambie was "not happy" with the way she was representing the party.[14]
On 24 September 2024, Tyrrell applied to register a party named "Tammy Tyrrell for Tasmania".[15] Under the Australian Senate electoral system, only registered political parties are able to have a name and logo appear above the line on the ballot paper. This greatly increases candidates' chances of winning.[16]
The party was successful registered on 12 December 2024.[17]
