LNP hopefuls jostle to be next leader after Frecklington resigns
Deb Frecklington’s stunning about face comes less than 48 hours after she vowed to continue on, despite a crushing election defeat.
Liberal National Party MPs are jostling for the top job after Deb Frecklington announced her resignation as leader just two days after vowing to stay on.
The stunning about-face came fewer than 48 hours after the Opposition Leader told an election-night rally she would continue in the position, despite the party’s crushing defeat.
At a press conference at Parliament House on Monday morning, Ms Frecklington said she would call for a spill of the party leadership and would not recontest.
Likely candidates for leadership positions include current deputy Tim Mander, Broadwater MP David Crisafulli, Toowoomba South MP David Janetzki and Burdekin MP Dale Last.
Multiple LNP MPs told The Australian Ms Frecklington had made the right choice and her statement on election night had irked many in the partyroom.
“You can’t be a leader and lose, and lose a heap of seats, and think you can stay on,” one MP said.
“Her comments on Saturday night that she would stay on as leader stirred everyone up.”
Ms Frecklington said discussions with her husband and three daughters convinced her she should step down.
The LNP’s first female leader will continue in her role as Nanango MP and said she would be glad to serve as a frontbencher.
“On Saturday night, I said I wanted to remain leader of the LNP,” she said.
“My first instinct is always to fight on.
“Since then, I’ve had a great day with my family and my husband Jason and reflected on my future.”
The partyroom meeting will be convened once all the results are declared, likely next week.
Ms Frecklington said as leader, she took “full responsibility” for the election defeat, which included the loss of at least three seats.
She said the coronavirus pandemic had contributed to the loss.
“It was a difficult year for the opposition, it was a difficult election for the opposition,” she said.
“At the start of 2020, the LNP was a very strong prospect of winning this election.
“There is no doubt COVID has had a significant impact on Queensland politics, just as COVID has had an impact in other elections in Australia and New Zealand.”
Ms Frecklington said a destabilising effort led by some former LNP executive members in the middle of the year had not assisted the party’s cause.
“Those internal distractions were certainly not helpful,” she said.
She thanked her deputy, Mr Mander, for his support over the past three years and wished her successor well, but would not say whom she preferred as leader.
“Whoever the new leader of the LNP is will have my full support and my full loyalty, and I will assist them in any way possible to help this party move forward,” Ms Frecklington said.
Multiple LNP sources said Mr Crisafulli and Mr Janetzki were certain to vie for leadership positions, possibly as a team.
Neither would comment on Monday.
Mr Last issued a statement saying the Burdekin electorate, which he won with an increased margin, was his priority but he would be open to the opportunity of a leadership role.
“Being a passionate north Queenslander, if the opportunity arose to represent our area in a leadership role, I would take it,” he said.
A former policeman and Townsville councillor, Mr Last, like Mr Janetzki, was elected in 2015 when Campbell Newman lost office.
“I think it’s a good fit,” one MP said of the idea of Mr Last as deputy.
Mr Crisafulli, also a former Townsville councillor, served as a minister in the Newman government when he represented the Townsville electorate of Mundingburra.
He lost the seat in 2015 and was elected as the member for Broadwater, on the Gold Coast, in 2017.
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