Deb Frecklington’s daughters say, ‘You’re doing great, but leave us out of it’

Deb Frecklington has never doubted she has what it takes to lead the LNP to victory at next year’s state election and her three daughters could not be more supportive of her career – but they do have one request ...

DEB Frecklington has never doubted she has what it takes to lead the LNP to victory at next year’s state election.

That possibility has become just that little bit more real in recent weeks, however, following the shock May federal election result.

Rather than securing a victory for Federal Labor at the May 18 poll, Labor went backwards in Queensland as voters instead helped the Coalition win the unwinnable poll.

LNP leader Deb Frecklington pokie promise in casino row with Labor

Deb Frecklington moves quickly on allegation

CCC says Jackie Trad’s resources infrastructure fund not ‘extortion’

The fallout sent state Labor into a spin. MPs – mulling what the plunging 26.6 per cent primary vote could mean if repeated at next year’s state poll – threatened a rebellion if action was not taken to put an end to the ongoing Adani saga and right the ship.

In contrast, it helped buoy the LNP.

LNP Leader Deb Frecklington with her daughters (from left) Isabella, 21, Elke, 16, and Lucy, 19, Picture: AAP Image/Josh Woning

As Ms Frecklington hopped straight on a plane to regional Queensland to capitalise on the voter sentiment, many doubters within her party room were starting to think they really could be headed back to government on October 31 next year after two terms on the Opposition benches.

They no longer think the task of holding the party’s current 38 seats and gaining the extra nine needed to make majority government is entirely insurmountable.

It is not just Ms Frecklington and her party room grappling with what this could mean.

The possibility is also dawning on her family.

Speaking to The Sunday Mail in their first joint interview since Ms Frecklington, 47, took over the top job, her three daughters – Isabella, 21, Lucy, 19, and Elke, 16 – have opened up about life with a mum in the political spotlight.

The trio could not be more supportive of Ms Frecklington’s parliamentary career.

They just wish she would stop talking about them all the time, especially on FM radio.

“It can be a little bit confronting her being in the public eye because obviously we have to be very cautious,” Isabella, the eldest, said when asked how life had changed for the family.

“A broader range of people other than just our close friends know who she is and can see her on TV and on the radio.

“Mum can’t really walk down the street, especially in Kingaroy in our electorate, without wanting to chat.”

But, Isabella said her mum was handling the pressure and the demands.

“I think it’s quite exciting. She is my mum but even if she wasn’t I think it is good to have someone strong at the face of politics and I think she would make a really good leader of Queensland.

“She really does love what she does. It’s not just a job. She really enjoys trying to help others.

“I think it’s really exciting and I do hope she can get there.”

Ms Frecklington said she and her husband had ensured the girls were involved right from the start.

“Jason and I made a decision really early on that we did this as a family,” she said.

“When I first started in politics I used to take them to everything. I made them come around with me to all the community events.”

Deb and Jason Frecklington with their young family. “Mum can’t really walk down the street, especially in Kingaroy in our electorate, without wanting to chat.”

The decision to run for leader after the LNP’s 2017 election drubbing was also made by the family as a whole during a post-election trip to Broadbeach.

Lucy said she and her sisters often share their thoughts with their mum on issues close to them.

“Mum has always been big on bullying and the environment. We would come home and have our opinions and share that with mum and she would then take that and apply that to her work a little bit,” she said.

The girls have also given their mum advice on what they do not want her to talk about: themselves.

“She likes to boast about us a lot. It’s a bit embarrassing,” Elke, the youngest, said.

Lucy pointed to recent interviews on stations like Brisbane’s Hit105, a station she lamented also films the interviews.

One uploaded earlier this year shows Ms Frecklington admitting to stealing a lollipop and having a “few puffs” of weed as a youth.

“Mum says things on radio that can be a little embarrassing,” Lucy said.

“It’s on Facebook and you have friends who will be like ‘Oh your mum said this and it was really funny about you’.

“Some of those ones can get a little bit embarrassing for us.”

Ms Frecklington insisted her boasting was simply her being a proud mum.

“There would be times when I embarrassed the girls. Unwittingly though – but that’s any parent’s prerogative,” Ms Frecklington admitted.

The girls praised their mum for her cooking skills including her ability to make an excellent butter chicken or wontons.

They have followed in her footsteps when it comes to culinary skills. Whether or not the girls will follow their mother into politics is unclear.

At this stage the answer from all three is a firm no.

Ms Frecklington said she understood their position.

“That would be 100 per cent up to them. I have never encouraged them that way because it is really tough.

“But what I would like for my girls is for them to be happy.

“I would also encourage them to go out and get a career and see something of the world and see something of Australia.

“That would be my advice to anyone.”

Isabella concurs.

“She always said to us, girls can do anything but you don’t need to do anything just because you are a girl,” she said.