Labor MP Jim Madden resigns to run for Ipswich City Council

A controversial Labor MP who was found to have breached party rules in his treatment of electorate officers has resigned from parliament, effectively immediately.

Ipswich West MP Jim Madden has resigned, effective immediately. Picture: NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

Embattled Labor MP Jim Madden has resigned from parliament, effective immediately, to run for Ipswich City Council at March’s local government elections.

Mr Madden, who was alleged to have bullied and harassed previous electorate staffers and had revealed his intention to retire at the October state election, on Saturday wrote to caucus colleagues notifying them of his resignation.

“While I am resigning from state parliament, I am not resigning from public life,” he said.

He will stand for Ipswich City Council’s division four at the March 16 election.

Mr Madden, elected in 2015, thanked constituents and his Labor colleagues.

“We have all been through a lot and as I have leant, life in politics can be tough, but those tough times were made easier for me, knowing I had your support,” he said.

Mr Madden had been found by a Labor Party probe to have breached party rules in his treatment of electorate officers, including Alison Young.

He was supported by then Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who in September defended Mr Madden’s actions by noting he had intended to resign from parliament at the next election.

Premier Steven Miles on Sunday announced the Ipswich West by-election will be held on March 16 - the same day as the local government elections.

“It makes sense, financially and administratively, to hold the by-election on the same date as the local government elections. It’s also more convenient for the people in Ipswich West,” he said in a statement.

“In the meantime, the electorate office will continue to be open for enquiries and my Ministers and I will be accessible to the constituents of Ipswich West if they need any support.”

Mr Miles said the Labor Party had selected Wendy Bourne to run for Ipswich West.

She is ex-premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s former caucus liaison.

“I am confident Ipswich West would be best served by having her start in that role as soon as possible,” Mr Miles said.

“I want to thank Jim Madden for his time representing the people of Ipswich West and wish him all the best.”

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli criticised plans to hold the by-elections in March, saying it was unacceptable to leave thousands of Queenslanders in those electorates without a voice.

“There are implications of having a vacant chair in Parliament and the implication is you have tens of thousands of people without representation,” he said.

“I’d like to know when the Premier and the government knew about it (Madden’s decision) and why they’re trying to hide in the shadows of a local government election.”

Mr Crisafulli said he hoped to announce the LNP candidates for the by-elections as soon as possible.

“I’d like that to happen this week,” he said.

“We weren’t expecting a by-election, we certainly weren’t expecting two.”

“I understand the Labor history is against us. I understand they (the electorates) are jewels in the Labor Party crown, we get that.

“But we believe that Queenslanders deserve the right to be treated with respect, that’s not happening at the moment.”