MPs who changed political stripes

BILLY HUGHES

WWI prime minister quit the Labor Party in 1916 after walking out of a caucus meeting over conscription. He formed the National-Labor Party and governed with the support of the Liberal opposition.

JOE LYONS

A minister in the Scullin Labor government before he crossed the floor in 1931. Sided with the Nationalists to form the United Australia Party. Became prime minister in 1932.

EDWARD ST JOHN

Liberal backbencher who quit the party after speaking out against Prime Minister John Gorton, sitting as an independent until defeated at the 1969 election.

STEELE HALL

The South Australian premier founded the Liberal Movement Party and served in the Senate before switching to the lower house and the Liberal Party.

DON CHIPP

A former coalition cabinet minister who left the Liberal Party to form the Australian Democrats, pledging to "keep the bastards honest".

CHERYL KERNOT

Australian Democrats leader who defected to Labor after being recruited by Gareth Evans - the former foreign minister with whom she had an affair.

MAL COLSTON

Left the Labor Party to become the Senate's deputy president in a deal orchestrated by the Howard government.

JANET POWELL

Another Democrats leader, who saw out her parliamentary term as an independent before being defeated in 1993.

BOB KATTER

Quit the Nationals, to run as an independent before forming his Katter's Australian Party.

PETER SLIPPER

The former Liberal MP quit the party to become an independent, and was made Speaker under an agreement with the Gillard Labor government.

JACQUI LAMBIE/GLENN LAZARUS

The pair cut ties with the Palmer United Party, leaving Clive Palmer with only one senator in the 44th parliament.

CORY BERNARDI

Left the Liberal Party to form his own breakaway conservative group - Australian Conservatives.