Gold Coast MP David Crisafulli in pole position to take over as LNP leader as Tim Mander says he won’t contest position

LNP leadership frontrunner David Crisafulli has been urged to modernise and rebuild the party if it is to regain power in Queensland. The Gold Coast MP is the only declared candidate for the post.

LNP leadership frontrunner David Crisafulli has been urged to modernise and rebuild the party if it is to regain power in Queensland.

The Gold Coast MP is the sole declared candidate for the LNP leadership after incumbent deputy leader Tim Mander dropped out of the race on Tuesday morning.

Mr Crisafulli skipped Melbourne Cup functions to work the phones and speak with colleagues about his ideas to return the Opposition to a competitive position after Saturday’s electoral drubbing.

‘HANDFUL OF VOTES’ TO DECIDE CURRUMBIN

Member for Broadwater David Crisafulli. (AAP Image/Dan Peled)

He has not yet commented publicly on his policy manifesto but Mr Crisafulli said in a statement he could “offer the discipline to hold the government to account and the energy to start the four-year task of preparing the LNP for government in 2024”.

“Our party, our supporters and those who chose not to support us this time around deserve nothing less,” he said.

“In coming days I will be asking my colleagues for their support and sharing with them my plan for rebuilding.

“Because this is a decision for the party room, I want to speak with my colleagues further before making any public comment.”

In leaked audio of Mr Crisafulli on election night when defeat under Ms Frecklington became apparent, he told a private gathering of the faithful “I burn to win” and urged them to join him on a “bumpy” journey towards 2024.

David Crisafulli. Picture: Alix Sweeney

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Incumbent Opposition leader Deb Frecklington has confirmed she will stand down at a partyroom meeting which will be called once the final election results are known.

LNP frontbenchers David Janeksi and Dale Last have both put their hands up for the deputy role that Mr Mander is vacating.

Mr Last said the party needed to strike a balance between having a leader based in the southeast and a deputy in the north.

While counting continues in a handful of undecided seats, the LNP is expected to end up with less seats than it had going into the election.

Deb Frecklington. Picture by Richard Gosling

LNP Deputy Leader and Shadow Treasurer Tim Mander. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

Dr Paul Williams, a political scientist and senior lecturer at Griffith University, said Mr Crisafulli would need to look at a broad range of policy and organisational issues within the LNP if he was named leader.

“Labor has emerged as the natural party of government in Queensland since 1983 and what the LNP needs to do if it wants to win is make the case for change,” he said.

“A core strength of the Coalition federally is economic management and they need to transfer this to a state level because the polls have repeatedly showed Labor has held this position for some time.

“The LNP needs to find engaging and popular leadership and cease its war with its organisational wing.”

Dr Williams said the LNP was short on prospective future ministers and leaders and a better choice of candidate would help.

“They must pick people who are going to be more than just good local members - they need potential future ministers and a few generations of talent,” he said.

“The LNP needs to shed its stocky, conservative image and disengage with the hard religious right by embracing social policies which most Queenslanders agree with.

‘Queensland is a pragmatic state rather than an ideological one and you cannot win if you lose sight of that and bang on about cultural issues exclusively.”

Gold Coast MPs on Monday were being lobbied for support, though none would publicly discuss who they intended to support.

Southport MP Rob Molhoek refused to name his preferred candidate but said there was an “obvious pick”.

“Now we are past the shock of Saturday night we are starting to think about how we rebuild and personally I loved David Crisafulli’s words about his white hot passion,” he said.

“I just hope the leadership change can be as seamless as possible and it would be nice to not have to deal with a Melbourne Cup field of contenders.

‘There is an obvious pick there and I we need someone we can all get behind as soon as possible so we are ready for Estimates hearings.”

Mr Molhoek, re-elected for a fourth-term on Saturday, said he was “very keen” to play a bigger part on the Opposition frontbench and insisted he was “committed” to fighting Labor.

An LNP partyroom meeting will be called once the results of a handful of outstanding seats are determined.

Ms Frecklington announced on Monday afternoon she would not recontest the leadership after vowing to stay when conceding defeat less than two days earlier.

“On Saturday night I said to wanted to remain leader of the Liberal National Party,” she said.

“My instinct is always to fight on.

“I will ask my colleagues to appoint a new leader of the Liberal National Party.

“I will not be a contender in the leadership contest.”

Ms Frecklington pledged her “full support and loyalty” to the new leader.