I think that any Parliamentarian at either state or federal level (even council level) who is elected as a member of a political party (eg Liberals, Nationals, Labor, Greens, etc) who at any stage during their term in office chooses - for whatever reason - to leave that party and sit as an independent should automatically trigger a by-election in that seat by doing so.

Why? Because while a majority of the people in that electorate may have voted for that individual, they did so on the understanding that they supported the platform of the party of which they were a member. By sitting as an independent after being elected, they deprive the people of a representative who aligns with the wishes/ideals of the voters who got them there. It also deprives that party of a member after they put time and money into winning that seat. What are your thoughts on this?

No one care to share their thoughts on this?

No - we shouldn't have to pay for another election.

Not all party members agree with every policy -
sometimes real policies are hidden from the voters before elections.

I too think it's too expensive and another waste of taxpayers funds and just as importantly time.
I don't believe the majority of voters would bother if it wasn't compulsory.

A question I put is should a politician be forced to fund the costs of a by-election personally if they resign from parliament before an election is due or forced to resign due to criminal misconduct?

It would appear quite simple to simply take their pension away till the costs are paid in full.

We've got enough mandatory sh!t already without adding to it