A furious Mr Katter said both the major parties had changed the laws to use parliamentary funds as a ‘‘slush fund’’ for their own gain. ‘‘The laws of the land said we were a party,’’ he told reporters on Friday. ‘‘There is accumulating evidence now that the money (set aside for minor parties) is not being used for which it was appropriated. ‘‘If you take that money and think it is a slush fund that you can use to provide carrot to your friends in the ALP and a stick to people you see as your enemies in the KAP, then I’m sorry my friend, that is misappropriation.’’ Earlier on Thursday Acting Queensland Premier Jeff Seeney said his move to deny Katter’s Australian Party funding was about safeguarding, not crushing, democracy.

‘‘The essential point is the people who claim to be a party in the parliament need to be elected, as a party, at the election,’’ he told 612 ABC Brisbane. ‘‘...This is about making sure [Opposition Leader] Annastacia Palaszczuk and the Labor Party have the resources they need to be an effective opposition. ‘‘It’s a nonsense to suggest that that’s crushing democracy." The changes – which come after Ray Hopper defection from the LNP to Katter’s Australian Party last weekend - mean the MPs will not be eligible for extra benefits that come with recognised party status. Just after 7pm on Thursday, Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney put forward the "urgent bill".

Katter's Australian Party MPs were not in the chamber at the time but one of them, Shane Knuth, returned for the debate and labelled the changes as a "disgrace" that showed the government's arrogance. Following Mr Hopper's defection, Katter's Australian Party sought recognition as a recognised political party under the Parliament of Queensland Act because it now had three MPs. This brings extra entitlements and Clerk of the Parliament Neil Laurie had earlier on Thursday written to the party agreeing to the request. The changes, passed on Thursday night, mean the criteria for eligibility will make clear that registered political party status can be conferred if the party has three MPs in Parliament, but they also have to have run for election under that banner. One of the clauses mentions that they must have been party members "at the most recent election at which the party member was elected as an Assembly member".

This effectively prevents a party from becoming eligible by luring MPs across from other parties after an election has been held. Mr Seeney argued the changes simply reflected the original intent of the rules, as introduced by former premier Peter Beattie. He stressed the importance of the rule of the official opposition - currently the Labor party - but argued crossbenchers such as independents and other minor parties got "the easy ride" without genuine responsibility. Mr Seeney described the Katter bid for party status as an "opportunistic grab for cash". Labor sided with the LNP to support the changes, with leader of opposition business Curtis Pitt saying the measures were "fair and reasonable and we won't be opposing the bill".

But long-serving independent MP Liz Cunningham said the process by which the changes were being made was disappointing. Ms Cunningham said she did not necessarily oppose the bill in principle. "I don't believe this process lends respect to this institution either," she said. Mr Knuth entered the chamber to weigh into the debate, but fellow MPs Rob Katter and Mr Hopper were absent. Mr Knuth, who defected from the LNP last year, said the process could have been handed "more appropriately".

He warned MPs that governments "with a massive majority can be quite arrogant". "I feel this is a disgrace and I feel this is something that is brought in in the last hour," Mr Knuth said. Mr Knuth said this bill was the reason why people were "slowly walking out of this [LNP] party". The comments came after two more LNP MPs - Alex Douglas and Carl Judge - quit the LNP on Thursday to serve as independents. Dr Douglas voted with Ms Cunningham and fellow independent Peter Wellington and Mr Knuth against the bill.

Loading The bill is dated to take effect from November 29, the day it was passed. - additional reporting AAP brisbanetimes.com.au predicts Bob Katter will continue making headlines next year. See who else is in our list of Queenslanders who'll make headlines in 2013