Dumped MP Trevor Ruthenberg back in running

Former Queensland MP Trevor Ruthenberg is the frontrunner to represent the Coalition in the ultra-marginal seat of Longman.

Trevor Ruthenberg. Picture: Josh Woning

Former Queensland MP Trevor Ruthenberg is the frontrunner to represent the Coalition in the ultra-marginal seat of Longman when a preselection meeting is held in the electorate, north of Brisbane, this evening.

However the anointment of Mr Ruthenberg, who manages the philanthropic arm of a property developer, is not assured with two others — carer Jason Snow and businessman Terry Young — understood to be contesting the preselection.

The Liberal National Party was last night confident that whoever is selected will be eligible to contest the seat, although it was not clear when the successful candidate’s citizenship documents would be released.

Mr Ruthenberg, a former Scouts Queensland general manager and Lutheran Church executive officer, won Kallangur in 2012. He lost the seat in 2015 when voters rallied against then-premier Campbell Newman.

LNP headquarters has been criticised for its sluggishness in arranging a candidate for Longman, given Malcolm Turnbull publicly called out Labor MP Susan Lamb as an invalidly elected dual-national more than six months ago.

Former Howard-era frontbencher Peter Lindsay said it was a reflection of the party’s chronic flat-footedness.