Nationals trip 'coincided with Melb Cup'

Queenslander Llew O'Brien has accused the National Party of holding a partyroom meeting in Victoria to coincide with last year's Melbourne Cup, despite his objections.

Mr O'Brien quit the Nationals on Sunday but remains a member of the LNP and was made deputy speaker of the House of Representatives on Monday.

The Wide Bay MP is a supporter of Barnaby Joyce, who failed to topple Michael McCormack in a leadership battle last week.

Mr O'Brien told The Australian he received a negative response from some Nationals MPs for objecting to last year's meeting, held 90 minutes from Melbourne on Friday, November 1.

"I raised strong objections to that. It was a party meeting that ended when a race was on in Melbourne," he told the newspaper.

"I wasn't comfortable with that and I raised it with both the leadership and the partyroom."

Mr O'Brien said there were certain "glaringly obvious" things that shouldn't be done.

"And going to a sporting event or organising a meeting to coincide with another event that is not covered by your travel entitlements is one of those things," he said.

"It was only after my protests that the people going there paid part of their own way.

"And I would say that a response from certain party (MPs) in relation to that was quite negative towards me, and inappropriate."

Mr McCormack's spokesman told The Australian that advice had been sought from the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority about making sure taxpayers weren't charged for MPs staying in Melbourne for the weekend.

He said the Nationals met in electorates around the country, as was the case with the planning day on November 1.