Veteran Queensland MP Ray Hopper (R) has resigned from the Liberal National Party (LNP). Source: AAP
QUEENSLAND Premier Campbell Newman insists his government is not divided despite losing an MP within days of the departure of a major Liberal National Party donor.
Veteran MP Ray Hopper resigned from the party on Saturday, two days after mining magnate Clive Palmer quit.
Mr Hopper, MP for the rural seat of Condamine, says the LNP's worsening internal conflicts and its focus on Brisbane under Campbell Newman's leadership were behind his decision.
He announced he was joining Bob Katter's Australian Party (KAP), saying "the LNP are not interested in governing for regional communities and the party is at war with itself".
"The Liberals are trying to take complete control and the National Party has been slain," Mr Hooper said.
Mr Newman, flanked by Treasurer Tim Nicholls, Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney and LNP president Bruce McIver, told reporters on Sunday there were no divisions within the party or his government.
He said he's confident other MPs are loyal despite Mr Hopper's claims four other MPs would quit the LNP early in the new year.
"Already we've seen the people he's nominated (to be considering defection) as being rock solid," Mr Newman said.
He challenged reporters to "ring them all; go for your life".
Mr Newman has asked LNP president Bruce McIver to find a "top-notch candidate to take the fight to Mr Hopper, not just at the next election but as soon as practical".
State Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said the government was becoming a joke.
She said it faced one crisis after the next, including the resignation of Bruce Flegg as the Housing Minister, the "cloud" surrounding Arts Minister Ros Bates and the sidelining of a director-general over allegations he misled parliament.
"What we are seeing day in day out is a continual soap opera and in fact it's almost becoming a really bad reality TV show," Ms Palaszczuk said.
Mr Hopper will boost the KAP's MPs to three, joining Mt Isa MP and Bob Katter's son Rob, and Dalrymple MP Shane Knuth.
Ms Palaszczuk refused to entertain the thought of the KAP one day surpassing Labor's seven MPs to become the next opposition.
Mr Hopper was rumoured to have entertained joining the KAP before the March election but Mr Newman said he had made a written statement assuring he would serve a full term as an LNP member.
"He had every opportunity to present himself as a KAP candidate (before the election). He could have done that but he didn't," Mr Newman said.
"My feeling is a deep sense of betrayal for the people of the Condamine electorate."
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