Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockcliff says he will call a snap election unless his dumped attorney-general quits parliament or guarantees her vote of supply and confidence.

The island state’s political crisis worsened on Tuesday, when Rockcliff threw down the ultimatum to ousted senior MP Elise Archer.

“I want to be clear, the only way parliament resumes is if Ms Archer resigns as she initially committed, or she provides a written guarantee of confidence and supply,” he said in a statement.

“We will not be returning to parliament unless either of these two actions occurs.

“All Tasmanians deserve certainty about the future of their government as soon as possible.”

Australia’s last Liberal government, which was already in minority, was in further chaos after Archer was sacked as attorney-general on Friday.

She subsequently announced she would quit parliament, only to backdown on that and say over the weekend she was reconsidering and might remain as an independent.

Archer has flagged possibly supporting a no-confidence vote in the government in parliament, which is next scheduled to sit on October 17.

If she sits as an independent, Rockliff’s Liberal government would hold just 10 of 25 seats in Tasmania’s lower house.

He gave his firm ultimatum on Tuesday after swearing in his new cabinet. Health Minister Guy Barnett has taken over as Attorney-General.

As election is not otherwise due in Tasmania until as late as June next year.

Tweet from @jeremyrockliff

Rockliff asked Archer to resign from cabinet on Friday after workplace bullying allegations against her and messages critical of her colleagues, including Rockliff, were made public.

Leaked messages showed she had disparaged a fellow cabinet colleague (“s–t”), a Liberal adviser (“an airhead”) and Rockliff (“gutless”).

He condemned a final leak showing Archer had told an adviser she was “sick of victim-survivors” of child sexual abuse, an issue that is the subject of a commission of inquiry.

(Archer said the comment related to people, including a family member, abusing her on a Facebook post).

She instead accuses aggrieved former staffers and the Premier of teaming up to force her out. She also said the victim-survivor message was taken out of context.

On Tuesday, Rockliff said he learned of the bullying allegations against Archer on September 1.

It is understood an allegation was under investigation when it was made public in an article in The Australian newspaper on Friday.

Tasmania’s government has been in minority since May, when two MPs quit to the crossbench over concerns about the state’s deal for an AFL team and stadium.

If Archer leaves parliament, it will prompt a recount in her seat of Clark, which is likely to be won by a Liberal.

– AAP