Amanda Stoker and Andrew Laming vie to replace state Oodgeroo MP Mark Robinson

Amanda Stoker and Andrew Laming had their Canberra careers cut short. Now they want to join the LNP as it tries to win government.

Former Queensland Liberal senator Amanda Stoker. Picture David Clark

Former Morrison government Minister Amanda Stoker and her one-time federal Liberal colleague Andrew Laming will fight it out for preselection of a safe Liberal National Party-held seat in the state parliament.

Veteran LNP MP Mark Robinson on Friday announced he will retire from politics ahead of the state election in October, next year.

Ms Stoker, a former Queensland Liberal senator who lost her seat at last year’s election, is strongly backed by senior LNP figures to run for the seat of Oodgeroo, held for almost 15 years by Dr Robinson.

After The Australian broke news of Dr Robinson’s retirement and Ms Stokers; likely candidacy, Mr Laming sent a text saying: “I will nominate for Oodgeroo”.

But Ms Stoker, who could not be reached for comment, recently moved into the bayside seat, fuelling speculation she would resurrect her short-lived political career in Canberra in the state parliament.

A senior LNP source told The Australian “there is a considerable amount of local excitement about the prospect of Amanda Stoker joining the state parliament”.

“Amanda is well known in the Redlands community and would be an obvious standout choice amongst local members. She’s a Redlands resident, and has been a patron senator and a constant presence at local community and party events,” the source said.

“Securing such a big talent is a testament to the work that David Crisafulli has done to get the LNP into a highly competitive position.”

Andrew Laming.

The 40-year-old, who lost her seat after being relegated to third spot on the LNP Senate ticket in the 2022 election, on Thursday went public with allegations that her former Liberal senate colleague, David Van, had groped her in 2020 at an event in a parliamentary office.

It was one of the reasons behind federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s decision to expel the Victorian senator from the Liberal party room.

Sources said Ms Stoker’s nomination for the state seat has strong internal backing with senior LNP figures keen to inject new blood into the party’s state ranks ahead of the state election.

Senior LNP sources said any attempt by controversial former Bowman MP Andrew Laming to contest Mr Robinson’s seat will fail.

Ms Stoker’s elevation is understood to have been endorsed by Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli to ensure the LNP has the best talent in place ahead of the election.

Recent published polling shows the LNP slightly ahead of the Palaszczuk Labor government on a two party preferred basis. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s personal support has also collapsed in the past year.

Announcing his retirement, Dr Robinson said he would prefer a woman to succeed him.

“Should they win at the election they would create history by becoming the first female MP for Cleveland/Oodgeroo on either side of politics,” Dr Robinson said.“This is something I would dearly like to see as I leave.”

Oodgeroo covers Brisbane’s southern bayside, including North Stradbroke Island, with the electorate overlapping Dr Laming’s former federal seat of Bowman which he had held for 18 years.

Dr Laming has previously blamed former prime minister Scott Morrison for cutting short his time in parliament, claiming he was not able to recontest ­Bowman because Mr Morrison “abandoned” him and tried to “convince me and others not to continue with my preselection ­application” after misconduct allegations were made against him.

In April 2021, the LNP’s ­applicant review committee ­recommended Dr Laming “not proceed as a candidate” in Bowman and reopened preselections in the seat.

It followed defamatory reports by the Nine network, which fasley accused Dr Laming of taking an “upskirting” photo of a woman at her Brisbane workplace.

Dr Laming was awarded a ­significant damages payout in September – the exact details of which have not been publicly ­disclosed – but it was understood to be among the highest defamation payouts to a current or former Australian politician.

The likely endorsement of Ms Stoker to run is expected to precede several other retirements and pre-selection challenges to veteran LNP MPs.

Gold Coast councillor Hermann Vorster is expected to run in the seat of Burleigh, with LNP sources tipping Michael Hart will retire from politics ahead of the election. Some party insiders want wider generational change on the tourist strip, with Ros Bates, Ray Stevens, John-Paul Langbroek, Rob Molhoek and Michael Crandon aged between 61 and 70.

LNP members received an alert on Friday morning about an upcoming event hosted by Ms Stoker about “the way forward”.

“Amanda will join us for a wide-ranging discussion and share her views on some of the policies and priorities we need to be advancing at this time - as a party and as a community,” the LNP alert to members said.