Victorian MP Bernie Finn will lead the Democratic Labour Party at the November state election after he was expelled from the Liberals.
Mr Finn was sent to the cross bench last week over controversial social media posts. He repeatedly expressed opposition to abortion and said he was praying for the practice to be banned in Victoria.
Announcing his move to the DLP on Thursday, he described the party as genuinely conservative.
The DLP was deregistered nationally in March because of low membership but continues to exist in Victoria.
"At the moment where we've got a Labor government, which has totally destroyed the state," Mr Finn told Melbourne radio station 3AW.
"And on the other hand, you've got a Liberal opposition ... like a cork in the ocean - they're just all over the shop. You never know what's going to happen next. It's a day by day proposition."
Mr Finn said his new party was principled and would support workers, small business, and traditional families.
"I think that will appeal to a lot of people," he said.
He said he was approached by several other parties, including the United Australia Party, after his expulsion from the Liberals.
At the time, opposition leader Matthew Guy said that it was disappointing a motion was needed to expel Mr Finn from the state parliamentary party.
Mr Guy said on Thursday he did not want to comment on other politicians' careers.
"I don't want to make any adverse comment - that's up to Bernie to do that," he said.
"The Liberal Party in Victoria has a very clear plan to go forward positively, to grow our state, to get us back on our feet - and we are not going to be deterred by that."
