Defection rocks Newman camp and strengthens Katter's party

THE defection of a state Liberal National Party MP in Queensland to Bob Katter's banner has destabilised the Newman government.

THE defection of a state Liberal National Party MP in Queensland to Bob Katter's banner has destabilised the Newman government and strengthened the maverick independent's chances of gaining a foothold in the Senate at next year's federal election.

Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce said the recruitment of bush-based backbencher Ray Hopper to Katter's Australian Party would no doubt reinforce the platform it was building in regional Queensland.

It was "absurd" to suggest this would not pay off for KAP in the upper house contest, as Mr Hopper's stormy exit overshadowed the preselection of star campaign strategist James McGrath and Senator Joyce's chief-of-staff, Matthew Canavan, in winnable spots on the LNP's Queensland senate ticket.

"I don't for one second think that if you have a defection or defections to another party, it's not going to affect you," Senator Joyce said. "Of course it does."

Senator Joyce spoke out as Premier Campbell Newman, under pressure over the recent resignation of a senior minister and his government's feud with mining magnate Clive Palmer, closed ranks with LNP boss Bruce McIver to accuse Mr Hopper of betraying voters in his southwest Queensland seat of Condamine.

The defection takes to three KAP's representation in the 89-seat state parliament and adjusts the government's massive team to 77 MPs.

The one-time independent MP and former One Nation party member said yesterday that Mr Palmer's departure from the LNP had been the last straw, after the old state National Party had effectively been "sacked" when Mr Newman was wheeled in as leader. Mr Hopper said he "knew for a fact" that at least four other LNP MPs were unhappy with the direction of the government under Mr Newman and his leadership team of Deputy Premier and former state Nationals leader Jeff Seeney and Treasurer Tim Nicholls, a former Liberal.

Asked what brought to a head his own disaffection, Mr Hopper said: "It was Seeney's vendetta against Clive Palmer. To make that man leave the party after all he has done for it was beyond comprehension."

His reference to the billionaire miner will increase jitters in the LNP that Mr Palmer might throw his financial weight behind a rival conservative party or even Mr Katter's outfit.

In a show of solidarity, Mr Newman was flanked by Mr McIver, Mr Seeney and Mr Nicholls as he dismissed Mr Hopper's claims that more MPs were set to walk out.

Earlier, the state parliament's longest-serving member, Howard Hobbs, a professed "good mate" of Mr Hopper, denied he was thinking of leaving the LNP, as did Gold Coast MP Alex Douglas, who is related by marriage to Mr Katter and is reported to have been previously approached to join KAP.

A weekend Galaxy poll shows support for the LNP government has slipped to 56 per cent with preferences, down 10 points on its election-winning result.