Change as good as a rest for political maverick

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Once touted as a future health minister, he is now a political maverick finding solace in the hundreds of supportive letters and emails he has received since that night in May he penned a resignation letter to Fiona Simpson, the Speaker of Queensland Parliament, and left the House. “There had been a divergence of values as I’d gone through my political experience,” says Davis, 60, in his verbose way. It culminated in disputes over “matters fundamental to our democracy”: changes to the Crime and Misconduct Commission and political donation laws. “These were not issues that we went to the election on and … if these had been part of our platform, I would not have stood for preselection and, indeed, I think I would have been saved all this stress.” His decision to leave less than a year before a general election rather than see out this parliament as an Independent has led to a by-election being called for July 19. The LNP has chosen psychologist Dr Bob Andersen to face off against Labor’s high-profile candidate, maxillofacial surgeon Dr Anthony Lynham. The poll will cost Queensland about $500,000. Davis says that’s the price of democracy. Read more…