Updated

Former MP Dr Chris Davis tells Matt Wordsworth there was no tolerance for him crossing the floor over the Government's changes to electoral donation laws.

Source: 7.30 Queensland | Duration: 8min 3sec

Topics: federal---state-issues, liberal-national-party, brisbane-4000

Transcript

MATT WORDSWORTH: The State Government has lost yet another MP. Doctor Chris Davis has decided to end a short and tumultuous political career rather than accept changes to Queensland electoral donation laws. Only a week earlier he was sensationally dumped as the Assistant Minister for Health after publicly criticising the Government's stance on Doctor's contracts and its changes to the Crime and Misconduct Commission; now he's quit as the Member for Stafford, forcing what could be another bruising by-election for the Premier and just 10 months until the next State election is due. He joined me in the studio a short time ago.

(MATT WORDSWORTH SPEAKS WITH DR CHRIS DAVIS)

MATT WORDSWORTH: Chris Davis, why did you resign?

DR CHRIS DAVIS, FORMER MP: I thought last night when we passed the electoral changes, the funding changes in the electoral bill, that what we were doing was actually a very significant risk to our democracy here in Queensland, particularly with our legacy and also the absence of an Upper House. And if it had been on the agenda at the time of the last election, with the arrangements in terms of removing donation caps, and also raising the reporting point, I would not have been able to support that as a policy position, and the evidence clearly at an academic level very well researched by Macquarie University in this case was that there was no public good that actually came from corporate donations.

MATT WORDSWORTH: So it's not just the electoral laws though, you've also been on the opposite side of the fence on Doctors' contract, the changes to the CMC, was this just the straw that broke the camel's back?

DR CHRIS DAVIS: Well it very much was so but it was also the fact that despite an indication that there would be great tolerance, you know, of being able to prosecute an argument like that and I felt particularly encouraged by making the point when you have got people like Premier Baird in New South Wales and a whole lot of eminent politicians who have expressed concerns about this, so, you know, I would have hoped that there was actually much more tolerance of that view and...

MATT WORDSWORTH: Well the Premier said when he sacked you as Assistant Health Minister that you were released you had far more scope?

DR CHRIS DAVIS: He did, he did. So I'd really done my home work. I'd given the whole matter extremely careful consideration; I had spoken with the Attorney-General even. He and I had had a significant discussion in the House.

MATT WORDSWORTH: That's funny because the Premier in his press conference today said that you were offered a briefing on the electoral bill and he didn't even make the briefing and the Attorney-General staff were ready to do so in the last day or two to give you that briefing but you didn't turn up?

DR CHRIS DAVIS: Well again because I'd spoken with the Attorney-General and we'd actually discussed the basis, the fundamental basis, of my concern rather than the details about some of the variations as to where public funding kicked in and so on so these were issues of philosophy and particularly as I say, when I'd looked at the research there was no other similar research and I'd made up my mind and it wasn't that it was a huge issue, I'd stated my point, I hoped to the best of my ability in Hansard there, but it was actually the ability then follow through and vote and it was made clear to me that despite the encouragement to say what I needed to say and vote accordingly, that, you know, do you want to stay a Member of the LNP.

MATT WORDSWORTH: Sorry can we back it up a little bit there? You were actually considering crossing the floor?

DR CHRIS DAVIS: Well more than considering crossing the floor. I'd actually during the dinner break I'd spoken to one of the Parliamentary Clerks and actually had the process entirely there, had all the paper work ready to go, and when I actually followed due process, received this response, and so I thought.

MATT WORDSWORTH: What response was that response that you received, who did you approach what did you say and what was the response?

DR CHRIS DAVIS: In the interests of privacy you'll just have to accept that that was the feedback I got, it was not a welcoming one, and so that is why I actually removed myself from the Chamber to consider that, but it was also...

MATT WORDSWORTH: But that's an important point because the Premier has been on the record today saying that and I'll quote "the LNP is a team that permits people that right to close the floor if they so wish and he could have done that last night by the way' and someone asked "was there any interference to him voting against any of the amendments yesterday" and the Premier replied "not at all."

DR CHRIS DAVIS: Well certainly as I say there was no facilitation, no encouragement no, tolerance even and also after I'd given my speech there was no I guess enthusiasm expressed by any of my LNP colleagues for the view even though as I say I was quoting very eminent Conservative politicians in the process.

MATT WORDSWORTH: So to be clear, you felt that you would not have been allowed to cross the floor on this issue?

DR CHRIS DAVIS: There was certainly no tolerance of it. There was very much advice to the contrary and that put me in an intolerable position, where essentially people were expecting me to at least follow through, because there'd been quite a lot of criticism of me earlier in the week for raising issues and then not actually following through on them, so I really felt that this was just not going to work long term, I mean, it would have been a triumph of hope over experience. You get a gut feel sometimes as to what will and won't work and my gut feel was it really was not useful or helpful to anybody, it was not helpful to my electorate, because I raised the expectation and then couldn't deliver, it wasn't useful to my Parliamentary colleagues because it created a tension, it was contrary to my own judgment of being true to myself and people closest to me, and so at the end of the day I thought it was best for everybody to just I guess zero base the whole thing, resign, the people of Stafford have clearly indicated a particular style of representation, and I think it's going to, you know, offer them an opportunity to look again where they can best get that.

MATT WORDSWORTH: Given all of that, does that explain why you didn't ring the Premier to resign?

DR CHRIS DAVIS: Correct. Because I really I had had quite a lot of interaction, I think, not critical at all of the Premier, we all have very different management styles and certainly what I'd been through would be something that I wouldn't do to anybody else and I really felt that under those circumstances, and also, you know, the opportunities for two way communication well I think after the party room, you know, there there'd be no willingness to really engage in some of the points I tried to make there and I just you get a gut feel sometimes in life that it's time, it's time to just move on and allow essentially a review of the process and that meant me getting out of the way.

MATT WORDSWORTH: Now just quickly, will you run as an independent?

DR CHRIS DAVIS: I joined the LNP to really allow us to perform better as a society, looking at all the challenges in health, and payroll issues and so on, so that was what I hoped to bring into parliament and so to be there without a vehicle is really not something that I would want to do.

MATT WORDSWORTH: Alright Chris Davis, thank you for being on 7.30 Queensland?

DR CHRIS DAVIS: Thank you Matt.