The way I see it, an MP has no right to simply change parties. I believe they should have to resign, & a new election be held, when one of these twits decides to take a new direction.

Years ago, when I was involved in a number of community organisations I knew the councilors, & the state & national MPs. I was dealing with them on behalf of those organisations.

Today, having stepped back from most of this stuff, I realised the other day, when these little men started taking themselves far too seriously, that I did not even know the names of either local member. I was not even sure which party the national member was from.

As this surprised me a little, I asked a dozen or more locals if they knew who our representatives were. Only one knew both MP names, but not our divisional councilor. Only 4 more could name any of these representatives, & that mainly because the local state bloke has succeeded in getting a maternity unit back in our hospital, with some fanfare.

So it appears most of us vote for a party, not an individual member. This being the case my member is only in parliament as a party representative. This being the case, should he be able to assume the right to change horses, when it was the horse, not the rider we elected?

Personally I would be most annoyed to find I now had a Katter party MP were this to occur. Much as I admire ratbags in most things, I don't want them running the state.

So I ask, should not an MP have to resign, if they chose to represent a party, other than that which actually was their ticket into parliament, & the party chosen by the majority of that electorate?

of course they should be allowed to change party
when they realise they been tricked..and only united to get elected

heck i would love if 7 resigned and joinbed katter
just so the alp dont even be opposition..

[i say this knowing the dlp is looting us more than ever
it sure as heck isnt slowing down asset looting..or sacking them alp heads reping in millions..from selling out the consumers

so yes by all means
leave..form an affective opposition..hold feet to the fire

what we really need is a new party..
that puts serving the people first..saving us from corperate payrates and gold plated systems..

sold to mates..
@..mates rates

i feel joining any party..
voting 'the pary line'..is treason to the voter
but first i feel i want alp gone/..for good..so the next generation of rats know it dont end..when you do treason to the people...ashes to ashes..rip alp.

<< The way I see it, an MP has no right to simply change parties. I believe they should have to resign, & a new election be held, when one of these twits decides to take a new direction. >>

Yair but Haz, they wouldn’t be taking a new direction! Both major parties are blundering along in the same wonky direction! And the Katter hangers-on aren't much different either. The Greens are perhaps a little differenter, but certainly no betterer!

But no, they should not be able to change parties mid-stream. We do indeed vote in the rep of a certain party and it is an affront to democracy (even to our very poor approximation to democracy) for any sitting member to then change parties, or become an independent.

<< Much as I admire ratbags in most things, I don't want them running the state. >>

Hehehehe!

Hasbeen,
The reason most parliamentarions change parties or become independnt is a little thing called EGO. They become filled with their own self importance.

This is partly due to the way they are treated in Parliament. For example, all security staff, and other staff, are expected to know every member, and their wives/partner, by name and sight and address them accordingly. This means a tug of the forelock, an obesance. They are treated like royality.

Another example of the inflated egos working, is the resignation of the elected members of ON in QLD. They simply put aside that they were elected because the voters supported Pauline Hanson. Consequently they did not serve another term. The same with one David Oldfield in NSW. Elected by ON supporters, on Paulines apron strings, he assumed he was above the party rules and when called out on this he got a huff and resigned, not to be re-elected.

The fact is we elect individuals in each electorate whether they belong to a party or not. Unless it is advantagous to the major parties, who make the rules, I do not see that changing.

NO - because the people elected them to office on the information they provided to the people before the vote, so if they change after being elected that is close to theft by deception.
They stole the vote by purporting to represent a different ideal to the one they changed to.

There is entirely too much party discipline. Except on the specific items mentioned in the platform on which the rep ran he or she should be free to follow conscience, the wishes of the electorate or the good of Australia and the world. Political parties are transforming themselves all the time. If a representative of the party feels her or his positions are no longer compatible with that of the party the rep should leave the party. My local rep is a servile wimp who follows the party line and appears never to have an independent thought.