Stafford MP Jimmy Sullivan booted from Labor party

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has sensationally called for ousted Stafford MP Jimmy Sullivan to leave parliament and for there to be a by-election.

Member for Stafford Jimmy Sullivan leaves parliament after QLD Labor Party Caucus extraordinary meeting. Picture: Richard Walker

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has sensationally called for ousted Stafford MP Jimmy Sullivan to leave parliament and for there to be a by-election.

The embattled Queensland politician was booted from Labor for failing to comply with party rules set after a “reported domestic ­violence incident” in October.

Opposition Leader Steven Miles launched the precision strike to remove Mr Sullivan from the parliamentary party at an extraordinary meeting of the Labor caucus on Monday.

Mr Sullivan attended the meeting to argue against his expulsion but was captured by The Courier-Mail’s photographer leaving soon after.

Labor Party elders and ­leaders had attempted to ­“convince Jimmy to take an appropriate course of action”, Mr Miles said on Monday.

Queensland Police visited Mr Sullivan’s Kedron home in October in response to a ­“reported domestic violence incident” – however he has not addressed the issue.

No charges were laid.

Deputy Premier Bleijie called for a by-election.

Member for Stafford Jimmy Sullivan leaves parliament. Picture: Richard Walker

“He should not be in Parliament. There should be a by-election. He should resign immediately from Parliament, and the Labor Party should explain why they didn’t put pressure on him weeks ago, when these issues were first raised, to resign from Parliament,” Mr Bleijie said.

“Because they’re happy for him now to sit at the crossbench, and they’ll ... still talk to him, they’ll still want his vote, they’ll still want him to back them on all their issues, because they don’t want a by-election. That is why they have done what they’ve done.”

Ahead of Parliament sitting next week, Mr Bleijie hinted the government may look to introduce a motion on the issue, but wouldn’t go into further detail on what options they were exploring.

“We’re going to keep the pressure on Steven Miles and the leadership of the Labor Party of who knew what, when they knew it, and why they didn’t act on it, and why are they only acting after the federal election?

“There are so many questions ... we may flip question time to make it all about the Opposition and or extend question time, I don’t know,” he said.

“We’re looking at the options at the moment, the reality is, the Labor Party will be tested to see whether they still support him, even sitting there as a crossbench member and what’s changed.”

Cameron Dick and Steven Miles heading into the Queensland Labor Party Caucus extraordinary meeting. Picture: Richard Walker

Multiple sources, including people close to the Member for Stafford, raised concerns about his welfare and relationship with alcohol.

Mr Miles moved to expel Mr Sullivan from Queensland Labor for failing to comply with a return-to-work plan.

The plan included keeping the party and the parliamentary leadership informed about his health status at ­regular intervals, which Mr Miles said was not done.

Mr Sullivan said the claim was “completely untrue” and skewered Mr Miles’s actions.

“I complied with every ­requirement placed on me, and more, and that was articulated to the leadership team in detail,” he said.

“This is a cheap political move – one that is not just personally hurtful but also against the principles of our great party.”

Mr Sullivan said he had “bled for” Labor since he was a teenager and would continue to “represent my Labor branch members”.

Steven Miles speaks to the media after the Labor Party Caucus meeting. Picture: Richard Walker

Mr Sullivan was notified last week of the intention to ­disendorse him and given the chance to respond, which he did on Friday.

Labor’s caucus unanimously endorsed booting Mr Sullivan on Monday.

“As far as I’m concerned, this is final,” Mr Miles said.

“There has been a long process here and the caucus has taken an unprecedented step.

“The support for this motion was unanimous, other than the Member for Stafford, and has the effect of expelling him from the caucus.”

The state government had criticised Mr Miles for failing to act against Mr Sullivan as ministers used the protection of parliament to claim Labor MPs were uncomfortable sharing a room with him.

Mr Sullivan could remain in parliament and sit as an Independent MP for Stafford or ­resign and cause a by-election.

Queensland Labor’s administrative council voted to expel him from the party several hours after the caucus meeting.

Originally published as Stafford MP Jimmy Sullivan booted from Labor party