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The MP for the Victorian seat of Monash, who was first elected in 1990, told coalition colleagues in Canberra on Tuesday he would see out the rest of his term as an independent.
He is the second Coalition MP to defect to the crossbench this term. The other is Andrew Gee, who left the Nationals over the party’s opposition to the Voice. The crossbench in the House now numbers 18.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton thanked Mr Broadbent for his service but called the decision “regrettable”.
Liberal MP Russell Broadbent has quit the party after he was dumped from preselection.
The Liberal Party has lost another MP in Victoria after Russell Broadbent moved to the crossbench following a heavy preselection defeat.