Chapman has remained coy as to whether she intends to attend the first parliamentary sitting of the new Government’s tenure, which opens today with a swearing-in ceremony followed by Governor Frances Adamson’s speech outlining Premier Peter Malinauskas’s first-term agenda.

Chapman has been in a standoff with Cregan since the Speaker told her Crown Law advice suggested she effectively relinquished her eastern suburbs seat when she sent a resignation letter to him last month, warning her he proposed to “initiate the process to issue a writ for a by-election” at 4pm yesterday.

However, Chapman has since provided a submission against that advice, after publicly declaring: “I have given notice of my intention to resign [but] I have not resigned.”

In a statement late yesterday, Cregan said the former Deputy Premier, who announced her resignation on the same day new Liberal leader David Speirs was elected, had “made submissions which are being considered”.

“Ms Chapman is aware of the provisions of the Constitution which inform the matters I’ve raised,” he said.

“If Ms Chapman attends parliament this week, then the issue may be addressed at that time.”

Chapman did not respond to inquiries yesterday, and senior members of her party were last night unaware of whether she intends to attend parliament.

Speirs, his deputy John Gardner, frontbencher Ashton Hurn, south-east MP Nick McBride, former health minister Stephen Wade and returned frontbencher Tim Whestone will all be absent after contracting COVID.