Campbell Newman returns to politics with senate bid for the Liberal Democrats

Just weeks after quitting the LNP, the former Qld premier declares his federal intentions with a swipe at Scott Morrison.

Campbell Newman at a press conference with his wife Lisa Newman, announcing his bid to run for the senate for the Liberal Democrats. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Former Queensland premier Campbell Newman is returning to politics, running for a senate spot for the Liberal Democrats at the next federal election.

Just weeks after quitting the Liberal National Party, Mr Newman on Sunday announced he would be leading the Queensland senate campaign ticket for the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Newman said he had been approached to run by a number of minor parties, including Clive Palmer’s party and One Nation.

Despite being ousted from government and his seat after just a single term in state politics, Mr Newman said he felt compelled to return to politics, accusing the Morrison government of an abject failure with its vaccination rollout.

Mr Newman also criticised the Palaszczuk’s Governments mounting lode and the burden on business of Covid-related restrictions over the past 18 months, while conceding the latest lockdown was necessary because of the threat of the Delta variant and low vaccination rates.

“Six years ago, I declared my political career over. But I simply cannot sit by and watch Australia being so poorly led, and this crisis being so poorly managed, by our major political parties,’’ he said.

“I love Australia and I love Queensland. I want to represent Queensland in the Senate and hold the major parties’ feet to the fire, because right now they are all seriously letting us down.’’

Mr Newman dismissed questions that he would be accused of treachery from former colleagues in the Liberal National Party, saying some had privately voiced their support for him.

In a statement, Mr Newman accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of running a “very illiberal big government” during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Scott Morrison has, sadly, let us down with very illiberal big government over reach,” he said.

“Anthony Albanese represents outdated socialism that will saddle our kids with huge deb and destroy our culture with woke nonsense and red tape.”

Based on previous election results, Mr Newman will likely face-off against One Nations’ Pauline Hanson, The Morrison Government’s Assistant Minister for Women Amanda Stoker and the Greens candidate for the fifth and sixth Senate seats in Queensland.

At the last election, the LNP ­secured three of Queensland’s Senate seats up for election, with Labor winning one seat alongside One Nation and the Greens.

Polls indicate that Labor will improve on its disastrous Queensland result in the 2019 election, when it secured just 22 per cent of the statewide Senate vote.

A vote of 14.3 per cent is needed to secure a Senate spot.