Deb Frecklington moves quickly on allegation

Jason Costigan appears certain to start the parliamentary year sitting on the crossbenches after the LNP decided it could not ignore a harassment complaint lodged against him. The move is a swift and decisive stamping of authority by the Opposition Leader.

Queensland Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington moved quickly after the claims. Picture: Liam Kidston

IT WAS just more than 12 months ago that Jason Costigan was standing in the LNP’s depleted post-election party room, making the case as to why he should be elected Deputy Leader.

Whitsunday LNP Incumbent Jason Costigan. Picture: Daryl Wright

His “Barnaby of the North” pitch — so exuberant it could almost be made out by the journalists down the hall — allegedly received just two votes, with Tim Mander winning the gig.

Now, Mr Costigan appears certain to start the new parliamentary year sitting on the crossbenches after the LNP decided it could not ignore a harassment complaint lodged against him last week.

The move is a swift and decisive stamping of authority by Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington and the party’s new interim president, David Hutchinson. A sign they will do things differently.

Similar moves were afoot before the 2017 election, but Mr Costigan lived to fight another day. It would have been a gamble to dump him then, given the LNP was at the time just a handful of seats away from regaining power. They are further behind now. But that does not make this decision any less politically risky.

Jason Costigan has denied the allegations but facing being expelled from the LNP. Picture: Daryl Wright

Mr Costigan holds one of just two north Queensland seats for the LNP.

Expelling him will leave just Burdekin MP Dale Last as the party’s lone state representative in the region.

It also puts the LNP’s chances of holding the Whitsunday electorate at the October 2020 poll in jeopardy.

Mr Costigan suffered a 10 per cent swing against him at the 2015 Election when the former Newman government was turfed from office. He clung on with a margin of just 0.4 per cent.

Labor redoubled its efforts in the seat, throwing everything it could at wresting the seat from the LNP.

But in the face of the onslaught, Mr Costigan — a former rugby league commentator — pulled some shrewd political moves such as receiving and trumpeting the endorsement of former One Nation heavyweight Bill Feldman.

It meant the majority of One Nation’s preferences went to him over Labor’s Bronwyn Taha, allowing him to hold the seat by 372 votes.

The maverick MP has proved he is no wallflower, so the odds are he will run again, either as an Independent or as a member of a minor party.

And Labor will most certainly run an even more concerted campaign in the lead-up to October next year.