Queensland state election 2024: Former premier Campbell Newman says LNP doesn’t ‘deserve to win’ October poll
Former premier Campbell Newman says the LNP doesn’t “deserve to win” the October election as he takes aim at both Opposition Leader David Crisafulli and another senior MP.
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Former premier Campbell Newman says the LNP doesn’t “deserve to win” the October election as he takes aim at both Gold Coast-based Opposition Leader David Crisafulli and frontbencher Sam O’Connor.
Mr Newman, who quit the LNP after leading it into government in 2012, criticised the Opposition for supporting Labor’s plan to reduce emissions by 75 per cent by 2035 and claimed rank-and-file members of the conservative party were upset by the decision. The one-term premier, speaking on Steve Price’s Sky News podcast, said he believed the position would damage the LNP’s chances at the October election.
“I don’t know why the state MPs in Crisafulli’s team expect people to dutifully turn up at polling booths and hand out for MPs who are so completely at odds with what they believe in the rank and file,” he said.
“They have a young MP from the Gold Coast, a guy called Sam O’Connor, who is their environment spokesman and this young bloke tends to push these things.
“I know that he believes it.”
Mr O’Conner was approached for comment but deferred to Mr Crisafulli’s office.
Last week he explained the LNP’s position.
“I recognise the threat of climate change to our environment,” Mr O’Connor said.
“We must do all we can to become more sustainable so Queenslanders for many generations to come can continue to enjoy the unrivalled natural beauty our state is defined by.
“Reducing our emissions by 75 per cent to 2035 is ambitious but it is achievable.”
He described the “shift to a cleaner economy” as a “once in a generation opportunity to bring jobs and wealth to the state”.
While the LNP supports the 75 per cent target, it is opposed to legislating a renewables target of 80 per cent by 2035.
Mr Newman, who is now on the state executive of the Libertarian Party, slammed the opposition’s small target strategy, with few major polices announced just six months out from the poll.
“It’s just an extraordinarily arrogant display from people who think they have the state election in the bag,” Mr Newman said.
“With this sort of behaviour, frankly, and this pains me to say, they don’t deserve to win.
“Queensland needs a change of government because we have a hopeless nincompoop of a premier but Crisafulli you need to think long and hard about this.
“This whole small target strategy is deceitful.”
An LNP spokesman said: “Mr Newman is now campaigning as a member of a different political party and we wish him no ill-will.”
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Originally published as Queensland state election 2024: Former premier Campbell Newman says LNP doesn’t ‘deserve to win’ October poll
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