Given the LNP’s leadership history Deb Frecklington has a tough journey ahead

THE last time Queensland’s conservatives managed to complete a term in Opposition without a leadership coup NASA was searching Mars for alien life, writes Steven Wardill

Newly elected LNP leader Deb Fracklington with deputy Tim Manders. Historically, it’s a tricky path to tread. Picture: AAP/Dan Peled

THE last time Queensland’s conservatives managed to complete a term in Opposition without a leadership coup, LeAnn Rimes topped the charts with Can’t fight the Moonlight and NASA was searching Mars for alien life.

That was in 2001. LNP leadership has been an odyssey ever since.

For the ensuing five terms, only during the brief Newman government years was a rebellion avoided. And even then it was a close thing.

Nicholls, Frecklington, Springborg, Langbroek, Newman, Seeney, McArdle, Simpson, Flegg, Quinn and Horan have all been names drawn out from the unlucky dip that is Liberal/Nationals/LNP leadership.

This unenviable record of discord and disorder will have to be front and centre in Deb Frecklington’s mind after the Nanango MP yesterday emerged victorious from the second successive three-way struggle for the LNP’s top job.

Frecklington will enjoy accolades for a time.

She’s the first female leader of the LNP. She holds the same seat as Sir Joh.

She’s talented, affable and a third-term member who has enjoyed a meteoric rise.

However, history shows Frecklington will still have to spend as much time looking over her shoulder at her colleagues as she will at the real competition in front of her.

Frecklington’s relatively comfortable 25 from 39 votes buffer at yesterday’s ballot will count for naught if she can’t quickly resurrect the LNP’s lowly support.

A party that venerates individualism will always be notoriously difficult to lead.

And there’s no better demonstration of that than the fact that Mark Robinson contested yesterday’s leadership ballot and got two other votes, while just one other person supported Jason Costigan’s quest to be the deputy.

Too many LNP members don’t want to be led. They just want a figurehead.

If Frecklington doesn’t deliver she’ll quickly become a one-hit wonder.