P +61 7 3553 6000 E communications@parliament.qld.gov.au W www.parliament.qld.gov.au Member of Parliament The Role of an Independent Queensland Parliament attempt toensure theirsupport. Independent Member or Membersinan Government willlikely negotiate withthe Parliament. Whenthis isthecase, of powerwhenavote is takenin sometimes inaposition toholdthebalance Independent MembersofParliamentare The powerofanIndependent House. pieces oflegislationandmotionsbeforethe them ortheirconstituents,andvoteon on mattersbeforetheHousethataffect can askquestionsatQuestionTime,speak other membersofParliament-thatis,they Chamber. Theyhavethesamerightsas Independent memberssittogetherinthe In theQueenslandParliament, Independents inParliament to followthepartylineonmostvotes. who belongtopoliticalpartiesareexpected will oftheirelectorate,whereasmembers according totheirbeliefsandtheperceived Independents aregenerallyabletovote Government fortheirconstituents. and achievethebestresultsfrom Parliament istorepresenttheirelectorate The roleofanindependentMember of itsMPs. represent orifapartydecidedtoexpelone the politicalpartythattheywereelectedto result ifasittingmemberdecidedtoleave and becomeanindependent.Thismay may decidetorevoketheirpartyallegiance elections orasittingMemberofParliament A personcanrunasanindependent called anIndependent belong toorrepresentapoliticalpartyis A MemberofParliamentwhodoesnot .

an IndependentMember ofParliament. Mr Aikensserved12continuous termsas Parliament from1944to1977. Townsville SouthintheQueensland who representedtheelectorateof Australian ParliamentisThomasAikens, The longest-servingIndependentinany Queensland Parliament Other Independentsinthe election in1998. minority governmentuntilthenextstate Queensland andtheCoalitionformeda her support,theLaborPartylostpowerin negotiated withLizCunninghamand, the MemberforGladstone.TheCoalition held byanIndependent,LizCunningham, seats andtheoneremainingseatbeing Liberal andNationalpartiesholding44 holding 44seats,theCoalitionof hung parliamentwiththeLaborParty The resultwasthatQueenslandhada Party winningthecontest. election forthiselectorate,withtheLiberal declared theseatvacant.Thisledtoaby- Disputed Returnsupheldthechallengeand by theLiberalPartyandCourtf electorate ofMundingburrawaschallenged one seat.However,theresultfor narrowest ofmargins-amajorityjust Labor Partywasdeclaredthewinnerby After the1995Queenslandelection, Queensland duringthe1990s. forms theGovernment.Thisoccurredin to determinewhichmajorpoliticalparty Sometimes anIndependenthasthepower Updated July 201 9 P +61 7 3553 6000 E [email protected] W www.parliament.qld.gov.au the QueenslandParliament. These include: notable independentswhohaveservedin Aikens, therehavebeenanumberofother As wellasLizCunninghamMP, and Thomas • • • • retirement in 2012; each subsequentelection untilher Independent andwas elected assuch Nation Party.In1999 she becamean member ofPaulineHanson’s One M of theParliament,firstIndependent Mr Wellingtonwaselectedas ALP afterthe1998and2015 Wellington’s 1998 1969; electorate ofBurdekinfrom1950to Independent memberrepresentingthe Arthur Coburnwaselectedasan Upper House; as anappointedrepresentativeinthe House beforeservinganother21years elected representativeintheLower during hisalmost18yearsasan the ElectoratesofWarregoandLogan 1899 to1920.MrStephenrepresented Council wherehewasaMemberfrom being appointedtotheLegislative Assembly from1878to1896before Independent intheLegislative Ernest Stevensservedasan Queensland Parliamentin1998as Dorothy PrattMPwasfirstelectedtothe Queensland government enabled theALPtoform Independent Peter WellingtonMP ember toholdthatofficein untilhisretirementin2017 s decisiontosupportthe for acentury; inthoseyears Member forNicklinfrom T he Role of an Independent was the minority . In2015, Speaker election Member of Parliament . Mr

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• Queensland Parliament in any Australian Parliament. Thomas Aikens,thelongest-servingIndependent elected atthe2006and2009elections. 2003 asanIndependentandwasre- the electorateofMaryboroughinApril Chris Foley,MPwonaby-electionfor