Independents Day in Queensland Parliament

Campbell Newman loses MPs. 

 The Australian   November 29, 2012 4:38PM

TWO Queensland government MPs have quit the Liberal National Party to sit as independents.

Carl Judge, the member for Yeerongpilly, said he was quitting the LNP after government MPs voted to have him disendorsed from the party for not pledging 100 per cent loyalty to Premier Campbell Newman.
Almost simultaneously, Alex Douglas resigned from the LNP, saying the Queensland public did not want to see a “blunder-through method” of governance. 
“There are better ways of running government than this approach,” he said.
Mr Judge told parliament his decision was made with a heavy heart but he couldn't remain in a party that didn't allow mature debate.
“I simply cannot continue to serve this government and I cannot serve with people who lack respect, who want to yell abuse across the chamber, who won't allow mature debate to take place,” Mr Judge said. “I won't be part of that team.”
He said he disagreed with the government's mass public service axings.
The government had broken election promises, he said.
“The public service was informed they had nothing to fear and we all know today that's not true,” Mr Judge said.
He said the sackings had put many people in a state of “turmoil” and he believed the government had not treated them with respect.
The resignations come just days after defection of LNP backbencher Ray Hopper to Katter's Australian Party.
Earlier, Mr Newman said it was up to Dr Douglas as to whether he stayed in the party.
The MP, who previously spoke out against the government's plans for a cruise ship terminal on the Gold Coast,  said he was best suited to serve his electorate of Gaven as an independent.
Dr Douglas' dispute with the premier came to a head after he was taken off two committees, including an ethics committee that's investigating transport chief Michael Caltabiano.
He was appointed as chair on another committee but was stripped of that role as well, after warring with the government over the committee reshuffle.
Dr Douglas and Mr Judge were seen earlier lunching with mining magnate Clive Palmer, who is considering launching his own party. Mr Palmer threw in his LNP membership last week after a long-running war of words with the government's leaders.