A police raid of a South Australian woman who allegedly supplied cannabis oil to terminally-ill patients has proved the unlikely catalyst for One Nation's return to the Queensland parliament.
Former racing minister Steve Dickson on Friday cited the January 4 raid and his subsequent failed efforts to have an amnesty declared to allow patients to access the drug without fear of prosecution as the reason for his decision to jump ship from the LNP.
Medicinal cannabis will not become legally available in Queensland until the second half of the year under laws that passed state parliament last year and the Adelaide raid on oil producer Jenny Hallam's home have left many without access to the treatment option.
"I've had families come to me over the last couple of weeks who have sick and dying children, they are utilising whole-plant medical cannabis to keep their children alive," Mr Dickson said.
"I stay awake at night thinking about these young children, and I think every politician in this country needs to be staying awake at night thinking about saving these children's lives."
He says he lobbied the state and federal governments over the issue but his pleas fell on deaf ears.
"I called the prime ministers office on Monday this week, I said I'm the member for Buderim for the Liberal National Party on the Sunshine Coast, I need the Prime Minister's help to create amnesty," he said.
"I have not yet had a return phone call."
He said the only one who was willing to take up the issue was Pauline Hanson, which was what motivated him to defect to One Nation.
But LNP leader Tim Nicholls accused Mr Dickson of using the plight of medicinal cannabis users to further his political career.
"Look, this is simply about Steve Dickson's own political self-interest. This is all," he said.
"Steve Dickson is using those poor people.
"Don't get me wrong... my heart goes out to them. People who are suffering deserve real answers and real solutions. But Steve Dickson's actions today are not going to deliver those real answers and real."
