Failed Liberal defector Ian Macfarlane has hinted he could quit politics after his attempt to switch to the National party room was rejected.
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If there were to be a byelection in his Queensland seat of Groom it would be a costly expense for taxpayers less than six months before a federal election is expected.
The cost of the most recent byelections in country electorates have exceeded $650,000 - while the 2008 Gippsland byelection in Victoria cost taxpayers almost a $1 million.
On Tuesday deputy National Party leader Barnaby Joyce, who helped facilitate the former industry minister's plan to defect to the Nationals, said the state executive of the Queensland Liberal National Party would have to explain to electors in Groom why it did not endorse Mr Macfarlane's bid.
LNP members in Mr Macfarlane's electorate voted resoundingly on Saturday to support his switch to the Nationals.
But the move was blocked on Monday in a close vote by the party's state executive, with 14 members voting against the transfer and 12 in favour.
Mr Macfarlane told ABC radio on Tuesday he would now use the summer break to consider his future.
"I'll get some time to think about it all and I'll come back, gauge how things are going in Canberra, and obviously the plan at the moment [is] to return to the February sittings and see what happens from that," he told ABC Southern Queensland.
"The world is a very complicated place. I may make a decision, but I won't announce it. It's a decision I want to make in the cool of the evening."
Mr Macfarlane, who hoped switching to the Nationals would prompt a reshuffle that would see him promoted back into cabinet, said if he received a negative reception from colleagues when Parliament returns in February it could accelerate a decision to leave politics.
"I can't sit with the Nationals, but I guess if the Liberals make me feel unwelcome, well that may accelerate the decision," Mr Macfarlane said.
"Politics is a rough and tough game and I would be the last one to bemoan that."
Mr Joyce insisted on Tuesday that Mr Macfarlane was motivated to switch party rooms for the right reasons.
"He did it for the appropriate reasons and that was endorsed by the federal electoral council that said politics is becoming vastly more urbanised, you need proper representation in regional areas and in the highest office it would have to be in a party with other people in regional areas and that's the National Party," he told Radio National.
"The Groom electoral council had an overwhelming vote saying they wanted a certain outcome and the appropriate people have to explain to them why their views aren't to be considered."
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said on Tuesday he would welcome Mr Macfarlane back into the Liberal party room.
"I would love it if Ian happily re-embraces his Liberal Party family in the new year but whatever his decision, I of course wish him all the very best," Senator Cormann said.
