She grew up working class in northwest Tasmania, dropped out of high school and joined the army until she was medically discharged. As an unemployed single mum in chronic pain, Lambie has been open about enduring a long period of intense hardship before rising to public office with the Palmer United Party in 2013. Within a year, she struck out on her own as an independent for Tasmania in the Senate. In her political career, “I’ve worked hard for those who don't often get much of a voice in this chamber,” she has said. “Unlike some in this place, who say they are there for the battler, I actually refused to deliver the budget into surplus by driving struggling families into further poverty.”
The 47-year-old has been upfront about everything from her son's battle with ice addiction to her regular use of Botox and fillers. “It’s addictive,” she has said of the cosmetic procedures. “It’s like, ‘Oh My God, here comes a wrinkle again’
In 2017, Lambie, also known for her unabashed Islamophobia, was forced to resign when she discovered she held dual citizenship, inherited from her Scottish-born father. “Apparently we’re not as Australian as they bloody come,” she said as part of her tearful exit.
