Clive Palmer must be "detached" from the image of the Sunshine Coast for the benefit of the region, according to the area's newest MP-elect Ted O'Brien.
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"We need to adjust our profile, change our branding," Mr O'Brien said as he claimed the seat of Fairfax, formerly held by Mr Palmer.
"Because unfortunately our branding has been so tied up with Clive Palmer."
The new Liberal MP said Mr Palmer's profile dwarfed the Sunshine Coast's profile.
"The time that I spent outside the Sunshine Coast, that I have spent interstate – you say the Coast and they say Coolum, 'Oh, Clive Palmer'," Mr O'Brien told View News.
"This now creates an opportunity for us to detach our brand from Clive Palmer."
Mr Palmer owns Palmer Coolum Resort, formerly the Hyatt Regency Coolum.
University of the Sunshine Coast politics lecturer Bron Stevens said Mr O'Brien was reflecting the Sunshine Coast public mood over changes to the Coolum resort since Mr Palmer became the owner.
"I guess he is saying that now Clive is not the MP, the association between Clive Palmer and the Sunshine Coast – and Fairfax in particular – and the Coolum resort is broken," Ms Stevens said.
"And what he is arguing is that he wants to make sure it is formally detached," she said.
"The only problem with that is that as long as Clive Palmer still owns the resort he obviously has a stake in Coolum.
"And it is quite a big issue on the Sunshine Coast."
"The bad publicity just continues. I think the best thing for the coast would be if that resort was just sold and revived."
Mr Palmer declined to comment on Tuesday, saying he had retired from politics.
Mr Palmer bought the resort for about $80 million in 2011.
The electorate of Fairfax, named after Country Women's Association founder Ruth Fairfax, runs over the Sunshine Coast Hinterland from Maroochydore, Bli Bli, Coolum, Buderim, Eumundi, Yandina, Palmwoods, Mapleton and Nambour.
Ted O'Brien came close to winning Fairfax at the 2013 election, polling many more votes (41.3 per cent) than Mr Palmer (26 per cent).
Mr Palmer polled third but ended up winning once Labor and Green preferences were distributed.
In 2016 Mr O'Brien won the seat comfortably on July 2, securing 60.1 per cent of the two-party preferred vote, after taking 48.5 per cent of first-preference, over Labor's Scott Anderson (21 per cent primary vote) and The Greens' Susan Etheridge, 12.4 per cent, an increase of 4.1 per cent.
Mr O'Brien agreed there was a perception that the Sunshine Coast was taken for granted by conservative political parties.
He nominated five issues - mostly infrastructure projects - he wanted to push ahead in his term.
Those include widening the Bruce Highway to six lanes from the Caloundra turn-off to the Sunshine Motorway, building the new Maroochy Interchange, getting federal government approval for the environmental impact study for the Sunshine Coast Airport expansion, attracting Australia's new fibre optic cable to Maroochydore and maintaining tourism to the coast.
"If we can deliver on those, we will have demonstrated not by words, but by outcomes that the Sunshine Coast has not been taken for granted."
Mr O'Brien said he wanted to also promote the indigenous history and culture of its Kabbi Kabbi (Gubbi Gubbi) people and its sports facilities.
Mr Palmer in May elected not to recontest Fisher.
In January 2016 it was clear most voters were thinking twice about supporting Mr Palmer in the electorate according to a straw poll of 100 voters run by Fairfax Media.
