Former federal minister Ian Macfarlane's future is in limbo after Liberal National Party power brokers knocked back his planned switch to the Nationals.
Despite winning strong support from party members in his Toowoomba-based seat of Groom on Sunday, the wishes of rank-and-file members were ultimately superseded by the need to maintain the "stability" of the federal coalition, LNP President Gary Spence said.
Mr Spence said the party executive had "anguished" over the decision at a lengthy meeting on Monday, which had come down to a close vote, and hoped Mr Macfarlane would stay on in parliament.
But the former Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources said he wasn't sure if he'd continue his political career and would weigh up his options over the Christmas and New Year break.
"I'm not ready to retire from working," he said.
"I'm the longest-serving resources minister Australia's had - there may be opportunities in that area or I may continue in politics."
He rejected the suggestion he'd miscalculated the attempted switch from the Liberal Party and said he was motivated in part by an under-representation of Queensland in the cabinet.
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"This was a way to address that - but in the end, I'm always going to accept the LNP decision," he said.
"Obviously I'm disappointed with that decision, but I accept it entirely."
Mr Macfarlane said he had felt he had more to offer regional Queensland and Australia but this was "not the view of the LNP".
Mr Spence agreed more positions for Queensland in a future cabinet reshuffle would be welcome.
Deputy Nationals Leader Barnaby Joyce was disappointed with the decision by the LNP executive.
"I think that it's very important that what I was hoping for was a mechanism to get better representation to regional areas and to regional Queensland," he told the ABC.
"Obviously I believe the people of Groom made a very strong decision the other day about their wishes."
Mr Joyce rejected any suggestion that the attempted defection had showed fractures in the relationship between the Nationals and prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.
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"As I said from the start, we never touted for business," he said.
"Mr Macfarlane made it clear he wanted to come across to the National Party."
Mr Macfarlane was dumped from cabinet when Mr Turnbull deposed Tony Abbott as prime minister in September.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten seized on the "astonishing" turn of events to attack Mr Turnbull for promoting Mal Brough.
"(Mr Turnbull)'s poor judgment caused this split and this crisis in the Coalition," a statement read.
Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss had been instrumental in organising the thwarted move against the prime minister, he claimed.
