Dio Wang last PUP after Lazarus quits

WA's Dio Wang is the sole member of the Palmer United Party in the Senate after its Upper House leader Glenn Lazarus sensationally quit overnight.

A former Australian rugby league Test player, Senator Lazarus said he was resigning from PUP to become an independent because of differences over "team work".

"I have a different view of team work," he said in a statement released on his Facebook page about 10pm Perth time.

"Given this, I felt it best that I resign from the party and pursue my senate role as an independent senator."

But PUP has immediately claimed the resignation has more to do with personal issues than any fracturing of team work.

PUP national director Peter Burke said Senator Lazarus' resignation was more to do with his wife being sacked from her role with the party.

"This was done primarily because she failed to comply with the terms of her employment. Senator Lazarus' resignation followed thereafter, with the reason being self-evident," he said in a statement.

"I note from his statement his reasons were not related to political matters or to the duty he had to promote the party policy and to support its platform, its membership and the thousands of Queenslanders who trusted him to stay strong to these values having elected him to the Senate."

Senator Lazarus, who described his decision to leave as a difficult one, was PUP's Senate leader.

There are now just two members of PUP in the Parliament - party leader Clive Palmer in the House and Senator Wang.

Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie left PUP in November, saying she needed to put the best interests of her state first.

This latest splintering means the Government must negotiate with an even more divided Senate cross bench in order to pass contentious legislation.

If Labor and the Greens oppose bills, the government has to win over six of the eight crossbenchers.

The Government still hopes to win support for its contentious higher education reforms. Senator Lazarus had been outspoken in his criticism of the changes, signalling he would never support them.

Assistant treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the Government looked forward to dealing with the newly independent crossbencher, describing him as a thoroughly decent and fair negotiator.

He played down the prospect PUP's depleted voting power would make passing bills easier.

"I don't think it makes it any more difficult," Mr Frydenberg told ABC radio.

"I speak for all my colleagues in that we look forward to working with him."

ENDS