Queensland Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls accused of going MIA

FIRST his Opposition was branded mediocre by its own side, now Tim Nicholls has been accused of going missing in action.

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SENIOR State Opposition MPs have complained to members of the LNP’s state executive about the performance of leader Tim Nicholls as the party readies for a likely 2017 election.

The Courier-Mail has been told the two MPs expressed concerns about the strategy being employed, believing the Opposition appeared “missing in action”.

“Members of the parliamentary team have contacted members of the executive, independently, to express frustration he (Tim) is missing in the media,” a senior LNP member said.

“The other frustration is that (Scott) Emerson missed MYFER (Mid-Year Fiscal and Economic Review).”

Mr Nicholls, who served as treasurer in the former Newman government, took the lead in delivering the Opposition’s MYFER response last week alongside his deputy Deb Frecklington.

The complaints, which both a spokesman for Mr Nicholls and LNP campaign director Lincoln Folo have denied, followed the release of an Essential poll on Wednesday showing Labor leading the LNP on both the first-preference vote and on a two-party-preferred basis.

Whether the criticisms will be taken seriously by the party is yet to be determined.

There are claims that spotting Tim Nicholls is akin to playing Where’s Wally? (Pic digitally altered)

The executive, which includes about 28 senior LNP members, is not due to meet until late January and no decision had been made as to whether the complaints will be formally discussed.

Mr Nicholls has spent the past several weeks touring regional Queensland to shore up the party’s prospects against a resurgent One Nation.

A spokesman for Mr Nicholls said the Opposition was not aware of any such complaints.

“This appears to be a complete fabrication,” the spokesman said.

LNP campaign director Lincoln Folo also denied he had received any such complaint but had not spoken to all of the executive members yesterday.

He rejected any suggestion Mr Nicholls had been “missing in action”. “It’s just absolute rubbish,” he said.

It is understood no member of the Opposition’s 42-strong parliamentary team has raised similar issues during party room meetings.

But a senior MP saidit was not surprising complaints had been made and that Opposition leaders were often the target of criticism when MPs were concerned about an election.

The next state election is expected to be held towards the end of next year.