By political reporter Nick Pedley Monday 17 November 2014
Photo: Jacqui Lambie splits from the Palmer United Party to vote against the Coalition's social services bill. (AAP: Lukas Coch, file photo)
Palmer United Party (PUP) senator Jacqui Lambie has split from her party to vote against the Federal Government's revised social services bill.
Labor and a number of crossbenchers, including PUP senators Dio Wang and Glenn Lazarus, helped the Government pass the changes, which include cuts to family benefits.
The Coalition secured support after dumping a number of contentious proposals, such as increasing the pension age to 70.
Senator Lambie voted against the revised legislation due to the effect on Tasmanian families and in line with her threat to oppose all Government bills to protest over the pay deal for Defence personnel.
"I won't support this cruel legislation," Senator Lambie said.
"There is another reason why I chose to vote against this legislation, and that is on a protest and on a matter of conscience or principle.
"I will vote against all Government legislation until the men and women of our Army, Navy, RAAF receive a fair pay rise and their Christmas entitlement leave back."
Senator Lambie, who was one of 11 senators to oppose the bill, accused the Government of trying to bully the Upper House and lying about budget cuts.
The senator became emotional during her speech when speaking about the defence force pay deal, which she described as "unfair, unjust and an appalling insult".
"Matter of fact it's just absolute rubbish," Senator Lambie said.
"How you people over there can do that to these men and women who put their lives on the line is beyond me.
"Do you have any idea what consequences it's going to have on our national security and the morale of these men and women?"
Lambie reconsiders her position as PUP senator
Earlier in the day, when she arrived at Parliament House in Canberra, Senator Lambie said she would consider her position with the party over the next few days and weeks.
The Tasmanian senator revealed 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.
"I just want to do something that is positive for Tasmania," she said.
"If that means I need to go it alone to do that - well, that's what needs to be done."
Senator Lambie said relations had turned frosty within the party.
"I haven't spoke to my colleagues since I left the Senate last time," she said.
Senator Lambie has also voted against anti-doping legislation because of her stance of defence force pay - even though she said she was in favour of adopting tighter international standards.
Meanwhile, there are signs a deal on university deregulation may be closer to becoming a reality due to the support of the PUP.
Education Minister Christopher Pyne has openly acknowledged having discussions with the party's leader, Clive Palmer, about changes to the higher education system.
The legislation would allow universities to set their own fees and save the Government more than $1 billion over three years.
Mr Pyne told an Australian Chinese Economic Trade Forum that efforts to win crossbench support for the proposal were continuing.
"As the Education Minister, my absolute focus on the moment, as we speak, in fact Clive Palmer has rung me on my phone while I've been talking to you and I couldn't take his call because I'm talking to you instead, is to get the deregulation of higher education through the Parliament," Mr Pyne said.
The Senate could resume debating the higher education bill later today.
