Sunday 30 October 2011

Shane Knuth leaves the LNP for Katter

The Liberal National Party is dealing with the defection of another MP, in the wake of their Gold Coast state council meeting this weekend, this time Shane Knuth, MP for Dalrymple, that takes in the Atherton Tablelands.

Knuth will join Bob Katter's Australia Party, that has been more politically aligned with the old merged National Party. Reports say that some other LNP members may join Katter's mob.

"I no longer stomach being forced to vote against National core values or watching the poor treatment of former Nationals," Shane Knuth told the Sunday Mail. "It has been clearly seen that many of the long-term, experienced MPs have been thrown out of the backbench and have little to no say in shadow cabinet. I believe the LNP merger hasn't been beneficial for rural and regional MPs."

Knuth follows the defections of Aidan Mclindon and Rob Messenger, who resigned from the LNP in May 2010.

Mclindon, MP for Beaudesert, went on to form the Queensland Party, and two months ago, abandoned it, to join Bob Katter's Australia Party. When he defected from the LNP he said the two major parties with not fit for the job.

"Queensland is now unfortunately faced with two options: one of incompetence and one of complacency," Aidan McLindon told CairnsBlog. "Until a third dynamic of co-operative independents form, we'll still keep getting what we've always got.

"The Australian Party welcomes Shane, a courageous man who has put his community first and is ready to take up the fight,'' Mclindon said this morning.

Labor's coal seam gas plan on agriculture land was a tipping point for Knuth as the LNP does not support a moratorium.

10 comments:

Darren Hunt said...

All the smart ones do :)

Vickie Farquhar said...

Sometimes all it takes is a good man/woman to do nothing but wait...and watch what happens.

Alison Alloway said...

There has always been an uneasy alliance between the old National Party and the Liberal Party. Katter is exploiting this.

Hans Van Veluwen said...

like rats deserting a sinking ship...first Queensland and then..Prime Minister Bob Katter

Tony Hillier said...

A case of out of the frying pan and into the shooters' party!

Anonymous said...

I think Knuth also realised his time was up. Demoted from the shadow ministry following the 2009 election and passed over by 2 leaders since for office, Knuth's political career had no where to go with the LNP. Let's face it, he has never set the state on fire with his wit, drive or intelligence.

Now he is with the Katter mob I assume he will be deputy leader. No great loss to the LNP but on the bright side he does effectively raise the overall IQ of KAP by at least 200%

Ross Parisi said...

The 'mad hatter' Katter may have the last laugh as he attracts support from both the ALP and ALP. As usual Queensland will set the scene politically. What we are witnessing now is a repeat of the political play that kept the ALP in power in Queensland from 1930 till 1957. What's the bet that 'One Nation in a Hat' will hold the balance of power in Queensland come election time 2012.

Alison Alloway said...

"One Nation in a Hat" holding the balance of power? What a scarey scenario Ross!

Chris of Manunda said...

Chris of Manunda says'
It seems the local LNP rigged the pre selection in Gav King favor by failing the register those in the party who voiced their opposition to his pre selection. I was one of them and I will be one of them marching to the Katter tune come election time.
Chris of Manunda

KitchenSlut said...

The economics of Katter One Nation, and what may be described as the ideological left, are pretty much the same Alison?