Tasmania’s former attorney-general wants Premier Jeremy Rockliff investigated for potential criminal behaviour over comments ahead of her resignation.

Elise Archer quit parliament on October 4 after Rockliff threatened to call a snap election if she didn’t leave or agree to provide confidence and supply as an independent.

Rockliff sacked Archer from cabinet five days earlier over workplace bullying allegations and for sending messages he deemed inappropriate.

She initially quit when dumped from cabinet but then reconsidered her decision after support from the community.

On Tuesday, Archer confirmed to several media outlets she had lodged a formal complaint with the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

She has asked the DPP to investigate whether Rockliff breached section 70 of the Criminal Code Act.

The act says someone is guilty of a crime if they directly or indirectly influence an MP in the exercise of their duty, or induce them to be absent from parliament by threats or intimidation of any kind.

The DPP has been contacted for comment.

Rockliff told state parliament he was not aware of any complaints to the DPP. He defended his comments preceding Archer’s resignation, saying he was seeking clarification of her intentions.

“It was absolutely my right to seek such clarification in such political circumstances,” he told state parliament.

“It was done in a very respectful way, and what Archer does is up to Archer.”

Tasmania’s Liberal government has been in minority since May when two MPs quit the party to sit on the cross bench.

Archer launched a scathing departing attack on Rockliff’s leadership, claiming she had not been afforded due process.

In leaked messages, Archer described Rockliff as being too weak to be leader.

In another message, she said she was “sick” of abuse victim-survivors, something she said had been taken out of context.

– AAP