Tasmania’s government is in crisis. Could it spell the end for Australia’s only Liberal administration?

Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff in parliament with former attorney general Elise Archer behind him. Rockliff’s Liberal government is on the verge of collapse. Photograph: Loic Le Guilly/AAP

The Tasmanian government – the only remaining Liberal administration in Australia – is teetering on the edge of collapse after the attorney general, Elise Archer, resigned on Friday.

The issue came to a head after the Australian newspaper published text messages in which Archer had criticised her colleagues.