Queensland Election results 2017: John-Paul Langbroek says he would have won in 2012

A THIRD Liberal National MP has thrown their hat in the ring for the party’s leadership, as fellow hopeful John-Paul Langbroek says he was on track to win the 2012 election for the LNP before the disastrous Campbell Newman experiment.

THE battle for the LNP leadership has drawn another contender, with the member for the new seat of Oodgeroo Mark Robinson throwing his hat in the ring.

The Brisbane-based MP took to social media overnight to announce his intention to run for the leadership, taking a veiled swipe at fellow contenders Deb Frecklington and John-Paul Langbroek.

Mr Robinson was first elected to Parliament in the seat of Cleveland in 2009 and briefly served on the opposition front bench during Lawrence Springborg’s tenure as leader.

There was speculation earlier this year that he planned to defect to One Nation after he had dinner with Pauline Hanson, her chief-of-staff James Ashby and then state leader Steve Dickson.

At the time, he pledged his allegiance to the LNP and indicated an interest to serve in a more senior role following the election.

Member for Oodgeroo Mark Robinson

LNP members will hold their first party room meeting since the election on Tuesday, where MPs will have the chance to elect their new leader after Tim Nicholls announced he would be stepping down.

Current deputy leader Ms Frecklington and former leader Mr Langbroek have already announced their intention to run.

Frontbencher Tim Mander is also expected to run for the deputy leadership on a joint ticket with Ms Frecklington.

Outspoken Member for Whitsunday Jason Costigan is contesting the deputy leadership position as well.

Meanwhile, Mr Langbroek says he was on track to win the 2012 election for the LNP before the party switched to Campbell Newman.

And he believes he is the man to get his party back off the Opposition benches at the next poll in 2020 should his colleagues choose him as leader at Tuesday’s ballot when he faces off against Ms Frecklington and Mr Robinson for the top job.

“I think it’s pretty interesting that Annastacia Palaszczuk is endorsing Deb Frecklington to be leader because Annastacia Palaszczuk was there when I was leading 60-40, two party preferred and was the preferred premier, which was unheard of in modern politics, so I think she protests too much,” Mr Langbroek told The Sunday Mail ahead of the ballot.

“The numbers don’t lie. I was on track for a win.”

He said he and Lawrence Springborg also managed to keep the party’s primary vote in a healthier position when they led the party after its 2015 election drubbing

John Paul Langbroek on the beach in his electorate of Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast. Picture: Adam Head

“When we were replaced in 2016 our primary vote was 41.5 over cent and now it is 34 per cent and that is under the current leadership group.

“All excuses aside, it ain’t working.

“We’ve got to try and get them (voters) back and that’s about coming back to the basics of saying we will manage the budget, we will care about families and communities, we will give a hand up not a hand out, reward for effort.

“Let’s get back to what we are actually known for.”

Mr Langbroek, 56, served as LNP leader from 2009 until he was rolled for Mr Newman in 2011 and he then served as deputy leader under Mr Springborg in 2015 until Tim Nicholls and Deb Frecklington took over last year.

He said he believed he was the underdog this time with Ms Frecklington running on a leadership ticket with Tim Mander as her deputy.

“I was the underdog in 2009 when I beat a ticket of Tim Nicholls and Jeff Seeney,” Mr Langbroek said.

Deb Frecklington (left) and John-Paul Langbroek will face off to become the new LNP leader, replacing Tim Nicholls (right). Picture: Liam Kidston

“No one thought I could win and I won. I have a core group of support of members who have been in the parliament and have seen what I have been able to achieve in a calm measured way, but not a soft way.

“I am just looking to build on that.

“But I am still a team player at the end of the day. I want to win but I will support the result no matter the outcome.”

Mr Langbroek, a 14-year parliamentary veteran, would not be drawn on whether the LNP made a mistake in switching to Mr Nicholls halfway through the last term.

“That was the will of the party room. All I will say is that a number of Brisbane members who supported Tim Nicholls have all lost their seats.

“What we have seen is a replay of 1998.

“The fact that Brisbane is a wasteland shows that we have got serious, serious issues.”

Originally published as Queensland Election results 2017: John-Paul Langbroek says he would have won in 2012