Billy Gordon drops out of Qld election

Independent MP Billy Gordon has announced he will not contest his seat of Cook in the upcoming Queensland election.

Queensland MP Billy Gordon walking through Brisbane

Independent MP Billy Gordon will not contest his seat in the upcoming state Queensland election. (AAP)

Controversial Labor-turned-independent MP Billy Gordon has dropped out of the Queensland election race and endorsed a candidate from the party that sacked him.

Mr Gordon announced on Tuesday he would not contest his far northern seat of Cook in the November 25 poll.

The first-term MP immediately threw his support behind Labor's Cynthia Lui, who will run against the Liberal National Party's Penny Johnson.

Mr Gordon won his seat for Labor in January 2015, but was sacked by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk two months later over his undisclosed criminal history.

"It has been a great privilege and honour to represent the good people of the great electorate of Cook," he said.

Mr Gordon strongly pushed for local voters to back Ms Lui, another indigenous candidate.

"It is only under a Labor government that we can still keep our income generating assets in public hands and it is only under a Palaszczuk-led government that the rights and conditions of hard working women, men and their families will be protected," he said.

Mr Gordon's time in parliament was marred by personal controversy and tension over his decisions as a crossbencher, while he was also criticised by constituents for being uncontactable and conspicuously absent.

He was referred to the state's police commissioner in March 2015 and later cleared over domestic violence allegations that cost him his place in the Labor party.

His refusal to quit government after being sacked created a hung parliament for the Palaszczuk government and forced the premier to rely on his support as an independent.

A mild heart attack in February 2016 required Mr Gordon to undergo surgery and spend time away from parliament.

In July 2016, he was fined $750 and banned from getting behind the wheel for four months after he was caught driving almost twice the legal alcohol limit.

At the time of the incident Mr Gordon issued a statement admitting there was no excuse for his "poor judgement", but said there had been a death in his immediate family.

In March this year, Mr Gordon mistakenly voted to support an LNP bill that would have forced arbitration between sugar companies. The bill was not successful.


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Source: AAP



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Billy Gordon drops out of Qld election | SBS News