Queensland election results 2017: LNP Leader Tim Nicholls calls Annastacia Palaszczuk to concede
ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk has finally claimed victory for Labor, with the Premier this afternoon saying a veto on the Adani Commonwealth loan would be one of her first actions.
QLD Election
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD Election. Followed categories will be added to My News.
PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has advised the Governor she can command a majority on the floor of the next Parliament.
Ms Palaszczuk said her new Cabinet would be sworn in on Tuesday and she would continue discussions with her colleagues about the makeup of her frontbench.
The ECQ declared the last of Queensland’s 93 seats just after 5pm today, officially awarding the ALP 48 seats and the LNP 39.
The crossbench will consist of three MPs from Katter’s Australia Party, one from One Nation, one Green’s member and one independent.
The last seats to be declared were Capalaba for Labor and Mermaid Beach and Toowoomba South for the LNP.
“All 93 seats have no w been declared,” the ECQ tweeted.
Ms Palaszczuk said she would veto the Commonwealth Adani loan as one of her first actions, along with deciding on the make-up of her frontbench.
“There will be four senior economic ministers that I’m giving due consideration to,” she said.
However, she would not be drawn on speculation Deputy Premier Jackie Trad would be made Treasurer.
“I’m not going to discuss any of those issues today ... I’m just extremely humbled and proud to be the premier of this state,” she said.
Ms Palaszczuk said she would lead a “consultative government ... a decent government” that worked with the the crossbench on legislation, despite the fact she would have the numbers in her own right to pass laws.
And she denied her decision to immediately veto the Adani loan would be the project’s death knell. “They have to stack up financially themselves,” she said.
The Premier - who is suffering with the flu - said she would celebrate tonight “with a cup of tea and some honey for my throat”, but predicted her father Henry - a former state minister - would probably drop around.
Asked about her next adversary ahead of an LNP partyroom meeting on Tuesday to select their new leader, Annastacia Palaszczuk said she hoped it would be current deputy Deb Frecklington.
“I wish Deb all the very best,” she said.
“But from where I sit, I think I’ve stared down Campbell Newman, I’ve stared down Lawrence Springborg, I’ve stared down Tim Nicholls, so who’s next?
“It doesn’t really worry me.”
Ms Palaszczuk promised she would oversee a stable government focused on working with business and representing all Queenslanders from the Torres Strait to the Gold Coast and all cities and towns in between.
She said Labor was committed to focusing on the concerns Queenslanders talked about around their kitchen tables.
Ms Palaszczuk said there had been a lot of comment about her being the first woman to be elected twice in Australia’s history.
“I am proud that this Australian milestone is a Queensland milestone,” she said.
Asked whether winning majority government or beating former premier Campbell Newman in 2015 felt better, she said both felt good.
Ms Palaszczuk visited Government House this afternoon after 47 seats had been declared to
Labor.
When asked how she was feeling, Ms Palaszczuk said she was “very excited”.
Almost two weeks after Queenslanders went to the polls, LNP Leader Tim Nicholls called Annastacia Palaszczuk today to concede defeat.
The ECQ has this afternoon declared Labor’s 47th seat in Thuringowa for Aaron Harper, reaching the magic number for Labor majority Government.
Earlier, the seat of Mundingburra was declared for Labor frontbencher Coralee O’Rourke.
This morning I rang @AnnastaciaMP to concede & wish her the best. I am proud of the positive campaign @LNPQLD ran. I take full responsibility for it. At the party room on Tuesday I will not seek to continue as LNP leader. It is time for a new generation of LNP leaders.
— Tim Nicholls MP (@TimNichollsMP) December 8, 2017
Mr Nicholls will not contest the leadership ballot to be held at the LNP party room meeting on Tuesday, and his deputy Deb Frecklington has announced her intention to run for leader, with Tim Mander as her deputy.
She thanked Mr Nicholls for his service.
“You put up your hand to serve your community, in whatever way you could, not just to make things better for your own family but for everyone in your community,” Ms Frecklington said.
“It’s why I entered politics and it’s why today I’m announcing that I’m putting up my hand to run for leadership of the LNP in Queensland.
“I have asked Tim Mander to run alongside me as Deputy and he’s agreed.”
Former premier Campbell Newman this afternoon weighed in on Ms Frecklington’s decision to run for the LNP’s top spot, claiming “extraordinary times” and focusing on the LNP’s preference decision in deputy Premier Jackie Trad’s seat of South Brisbane.
David Crisafulli, who was thought to be in the mix as a possible replacement for Mr Nicholls, has ruled himself out of the leadership race.
The former Newman government minister — who re-entered parliament via the Gold Coast seat of Broadwater at the election after losing his North Queensland seat of Mundingburra in 2015 — said he wanted to focus on his electorate and re-establishing himself in the parliament.
He had been mooted as a strong chance to replace Tim Nicholls as leader.
“I have been humbled by some of the comments that have been made by colleagues and party members in the past few days but I believe that right now my focus should be on reestablishing myself in the parliament,” Mr Crisafulli told The Courier-Mail.
“We are blessed with some real depth of talent in our ranks despite the election loss and some of the names that have already been put forward, I’d be honoured to serve under them.”
Former LNP Leader John-Paul Langbroek will contest the LNP leadership, pitting himself against Deb Frecklington to take over the job.
Mr Langbroek announced his intentions via Twitter.
Mr Langbroek served as LNP Leader in the lead up to the 2012 election but was replaced by Campbell Newman a year out from the poll.
He then served as Lawrence Springborg’s deputy following the LNP’s election drubbing in 2015.
I’m nominating to lead @LNPQLD because our party needs someone who knows the rigours of leadership, and with the experience to rebuild the trust with all Queenslanders. I have the measured resolve to take on Labor.
— John-Paul Langbroek (@JPLangbroek) December 8, 2017
Mr Nicholls, who will not face the media today, took to Twitter to announce he had conceded and issued a statement.
“While the result is disappointing for the thousands of LNP supporters, the MPs who did not hold their seats and the candidates who were not elected, everybody should be proud of the campaign we ran,” he said.
“Our campaign was overwhelmingly positive and focused on the issues that most mattered to Queenslanders such as creating more local jobs and lowering the cost of living — in particular, electricity prices.
“We focused on the future and not the past, but Labor’s massive advertising spend focused on fear.
“I accept and take full responsibility for the LNP’s campaign.
“To my fellow Queenslanders, I say thank you for your support and encouragement over the last 18 months. It’s been a great honour to lead the Liberal National Party. To the people of Clayfield, thank you for re-electing me for my fifth term.
“To my colleagues and our candidates: thank you for the opportunity to serve, and for your faith, guidance and support. To those who lost their seats, our thoughts are with you.
“To my deputy, Deb Frecklington — you are a fantastic local member, Shadow Minister and Deputy and a passionate voice for all of Queensland. I could not have done this job without your support, counsel and wisdom.
“I have spoken to the Whips and requested that a party room meeting be held at 2pm next Tuesday, 12 December 2017. I will not be seeking to continue as Leader of the LNP.”
Originally published as Queensland election results 2017: LNP Leader Tim Nicholls calls Annastacia Palaszczuk to concede
You can thank me for majority: Miller
RENEGADE MP Jo-Ann Miller claims her decision to reach out to Pauline Hanson gave Labor the winning edge at November 25’s state election.
Premier announces full frontbench
ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk has announced her full Cabinet for the 56th Parliament, including both familiar and new faces for Queensland’s most important ministerial portfolios.