The state branch of the Jacqui Lambie Network was thrown into turmoil this week when the party's two parliamentary staffers resigned the day before parliament was due to resume.
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The resignations of the party's media advisor and legislative advisor were said to be the result of dissatisfaction over a key staff appointment.
The departures left JLN's three new House of Assembly members without support as they took their seats for the first time on Tuesday.
The party has received significant media criticism recently over an apparent lack of policy positions and a perceived lack of transparency, with the three new politicians failing to respond to most media questions since the election.
JLN's new state members - Braddon MHA Miriam Beswick, Bass MHA Rebekah Pentland and Lyons MHA Andrew Jenner - won a large share of the vote and signed an agreement to guarantee supply to the Liberal minority government last month.
A source familiar with the situation described the JLN state team as "in chaos" over the past fortnight.
Another said staff were working like their hands were "tied behind backs", as the three politically inexperienced members set up their new office in state parliament.
"We don't want to be in a position where the state is unstable for the government, but there was Miriam and Rebekah going 'gung ho' and doing this and that.
"It became clear that it was just untenable."
The trigger for the staff resignations came after the appointment of campaign volunteer and former JLN federal branch staffer Lee-Ann Patterson to a position in the parliamentary office.
Ms Patterson, who has not yet taken up her position, was described as a "personal friend" of Rebekah Pentland.
She previously worked as an executive with Southern Cross Care, as well as a Labor staffer in now-speaker Michelle O'Byrne's office.
Sources familiar with the situation said Ms Patterson's daughter works as an electoral officer for Ms Pentland.
She volunteered extensively during the election campaign.
It is believed that the two advisors disagreed with the decision to appoint Ms Patterson because of her personal relationships to the members and her daughter's work as an electoral officer for Ms Pentland.
It is understood that they also took issue with the pay scale that Ms Patterson was hired at - Senior Advisor level - despite discussions that she would perform in a more administrative role.
Lyons member Mr Jenner was not involved in the hiring of Mr Patterson, but he eventually agreed to it, according to a source.
"He indicated that that was not his preference, but had been overridden," a source said.
A spokesperson for JLN said: "While it is inappropriate to be commenting on individual employment matters, we have full confidence in the staffing arrangements that have been determined."
"The JLN thanks those employees who have assisted them during the establishment process of the parliamentary office."
Clarification
If any reader understood this article as suggesting that Ms Patterson was incompetent or lacked professionalism, or had been appointed to her position illegitimately, we are happy to clarify that this was not our intention, and any such suggestion is withdrawn. We apologise to Ms Patterson for any hurt caused to her by any such misinterpretation of the article.
