Amanda Stoker to fight Pauline Hanson for Senate seat
The Coalition’s rising conservative star Amanda Stoker will face-off against Pauline Hanson for a Queensland senate seat at the next federal election.
The Coalition’s rising conservative star Amanda Stoker will face-off against Pauline Hanson for a Queensland senate seat at the next federal election.
Senator Stoker, recently elevated to Assistant Minister for Women by Scott Morrison, is now fighting for her political career after being relegated to the third spot on the Liberal National Party’s senate ticket.
Political pundits and LNP insiders predict that Senator Stoker will be contesting the fifth and six senate seats against the One Nation leader and a candidate for the Greens, based on previous election results and a likely recovery in the statewide Labor vote.
Senator Stoker was beaten by Queensland Coalition backbencher James McGrath — a veteran professional political campaigner — after a flood of support for him arrived from regional-based voters.
The vote of the LNP State Council in Brisbane on Saturday put Liberal Senator McGrath at No 1 on the ticket, followed by the Nationals Matt Canavan at No 2 and Senator Stoker at No 3.
Under LNP rules, devised ahead of the 2008 state merger of the two conservative parties, the one and three spots are reserved for Liberals and the No 2 position for The Nationals.
The predicted close contest between the Liberals didn’t eventuate, with Senator McGrath thrashing Senator Stoker for the top spot by 212 votes to 101.
It was the biggest ever turnout for a State Council senate vote in the history of the LNP.
At the last election, the LNP secured three of Queensland’s senate seats up for election, with Labor winning just one seat alongside One Nation and the Greens.
But polls indicate that Labor will improve on its disastrous Queensland result in 2019 — where 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.
A LNP insider said Senator Stoker will have a “difficult job” to beat Senator Hanson and the Greens, which has yet to preselect its candidates, despite the LNP traditionally winning three senate seats in Queensland.
The only time the LNP, which merged in 2008, or Coalition parties did not win three senate seats in Queensland was in 1998, when the Nationals lost a seat to One Nation.
On Sunday, former state opposition leader Lawrence Springborg confirmed he would now be standing as a candidate for the presidency of the LNP at its convention in July.
Last month, The Australian revealed that Mr Springborg was considering a tilt at the presidency with the backing of rival factions.
In a statement, Mr Springborg — who was last year dumped as a trustee of the party in a move that outraged grassroots members — confirmed he was running for the role now filled by acting president Cynthia Hardy.
On Friday, former premier Campbell Newman was nominated by Ms Hardy and elected to replace Mr Springborg as trustee.
Mr Springborg is currently the mayor of Goondiwindi Regional Council.
“If successful, I look forward to ensuring that the LNP has the culture, capacity and policies to gain the approval of Queenslanders,’’ he said.
“As I do now, I will continue to advocate on behalf of my council as Mayor, insofar as the state and federal government decisions, programs and policies that relate directly to local government.”
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