Tim Nicholls promotes key backers

New Queensland Opposition leader Tim Nicholls has promoted key backers to his Shadow Cabinet.

New Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls and deputy Deb Frecklington. Picture: Liam Kidston

New Queensland Opposition leader Tim Nicholls has promoted key backers to his Shadow Cabinet in a reshuffle following his ousting of Lawrence Springborg last week.

Mr Nicholls wrested the leadership of the Liberal National Party from Mr Springborg on Friday after an emergency partyroom meeting and secret vote.

However, many of those who backed Mr Nicholls appear to have been rewarded in his juggled shadow frontbench.

Scott Emerson has moved from Transport to Treasury, Jeff Seeney has been promoted to the Leader of Opposition business (from the chair of parliamentary policy committees), Ros Bates has moved from Deputy Opposition Whip to the Communities shadow portfolio, and Tracy Davis has been promoted from Communities to Education. Mr Nicholls’ scrutineer in Friday’s partyroom meeting, Michael Hart, has been promoted from the backbench to become the Opposition’s spokesman for Energy, Biofuels and Water Supply.

Ms Bates, Ms Davis, Mr Emerson and Mr Hart all flanked Mr Nicholls as he walked into the partyroom meeting on Friday. Mr Seeney was the architect of the spill. They’re all understood to have backed him in the vote. Asked whether he was simply promoting his backers, Mr Nicholls said: “They’re decisions that have been made over the last 48 hours, and you see what we’re focused on is making sure we’ve got a team that can take the fight up to the Labor Party and give Queenslanders the energy and experience we know they want in order to get Queensland moving.”

Ousted Deputy Leader John-Paul Langbroek has moved from Treasury spokesman to Health spokesman. Ex-leader Lawrence Springborg will be the chair of the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Commission — a post Mr Nicholls said Mr Springborg specifically requested. Mr Nicholls’ rival — Tim Mander, who was knocked out in the first round of voting on Friday — is now the LNP’s police spokesman, after shifting from education.