An increase in the number of country-based independents in federal parliament is possible if the latest opinion poll is reflected at the next election, prominent independent MP Tony Windsor believes.
One in four voters intend backing candidates not aligned to the two major parties, a Newspoll published on Tuesday showed.
The result highlighted the lack of leadership from both Labor and the coalition, Mr Windsor said.
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'Crying out for integrity'
"People are crying out for conviction and integrity in politics," he said in a statement.
The "other parties" vote was good news for independent candidates in rural and regional seats at the next election.
"With suggestions of a hung parliament, that could make life very interesting in some country seats."
Mr Windsor is one of four independent MPs in parliament's lower house, and along with Rob Oakeshott (Lyne) and Bob Katter (Kennedy), holds a comfortable majority in his northern-NSW electorate of New England.
Battle over seat of Ryan
The fourth - expelled Liberal Michael Johnson - faces a tough battle to retain the inner Brisbane seat of Ryan.
Mr Windsor said independent candidates in rural and regional electorates were likely to benefit from a drop in voter support for The Nationals.
"Their vote has plummeted from 5.5 per cent at the 2007 election to an average 3.5 per cent during the past three months."
