Brisbane MP believes voters don't want to risk 'chaos of Senate' with Bartlett

Brisbane Liberal MP Trevor Evans is confident his electorate don't want to "risk the chaos of the Senate affecting the House of Representatives" by voting in outgoing Greens senator Andrew Bartlett.

Fairfax Media revealed on Friday that Mr Bartlett will resign from the Senate in August to focus on beating Mr Evans for the seat of Brisbane at the next federal election.

Trevor Evans said Mr Bartlett's resignation 'changes nothing' in terms of his work in the seat of Brisbane.Credit: Lukas Coch - AAP

The resignation also gives former Greens Senator Larissa Waters, who was embroiled in the dual citizenship saga, the opportunity to be the first of the disqualified politicians to make a comeback.

Mr Evans believed voters were tired of the "flip-flopping" in the minor parties.

"The next election presents a serious choice about the stability and confidence needed to lock in the next wave of prosperity for Brisbane," Mr Evans said.

"The 31,000 small businesses and 75,000 hard-working people of Brisbane are starting to see jobs, growth and tax relief flowing.

"A turf war between Labor and the Greens over who can be further left and more ideological is mostly irrelevant to mainstream Brisbane."

Mr Evans polled 49.9 per cent of the first preference vote at the 2016 federal election for the seat of Brisbane, winning the seat and slightly increased the Liberal’s margin to more than 5 per cent.

He said Mr Bartlett's resignation "changes nothing" from his point of view.

"I’ve been working really hard to be a good representative for the people of Brisbane," Mr Evans said.

"I'm going to keep working hard and people will keep seeing me out and about listening, being accessible and delivering the things Brisbane really wants."

Ms Waters said she had always hoped to make a comeback after the citizenship saga.

"I had always hoped to return ... but didn’t think about being first, second or last," she said.

"I feel there is work still to be finished because I'm passionate about a fairer society, women, nature and cleaner politics.

"There is nothing guaranteed in politics and I'm very blessed to resume in the role."

Greens senator Andrew Bartlett and former Greens senator Larissa Waters.Credit: Glenn Hunt - AAP

Ms Waters said her party was making progress, as seen in the state election when Michael Berkman won the seat of Maiwar to become the first Greens MP elected to the Queensland Parliament.

"We're going from strength to strength in Queensland, especially after the strong state election result," she said.

"We're really excited about the future and we're getting quality feedback from people about the issues we’re working on, such as affordable housing, cleaner politics and a fairer society.

"Andrew Bartlett has done a wonderful job in the Senate and for the Queensland Greens. He is such a tower of ethics and has such a good heart.

"Hopefully we can retain the Senate seat and we have a shot of winning Griffith and Brisbane."

Ms Waters stood down from the Senate in July 2017 after she discovered she was ineligible to stand for the Australian Parliament because of her Candian heritage.

Senator Bartlett, who represented Queensland in the Senate for more than a decade with the Australian Democrats before losing his seat at the 2007 federal election, filled the vacancy created by Ms Waters' resignation.

Senator Bartlett said he believes his profile as a long-time senator with the Democrats before he joined the Greens, and as one of Australia’s earliest voices for same-sex marriage and refugee rights, will help raise the Greens vote in the Brisbane electorate.

He acknowledged he faced an uphill challenge to win the seat from Mr Evans, saying he would rely on finishing second - ahead of Labor - and defeating the LNP MP on preferences.