Almost two weeks after the Queensland election, LNP leader Tim Nicholls has conceded defeat to Labor.
The opposition leader phoned the premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, on Friday morning to advise her.
Labor looks certain to win at least 47 seats in Queensland’s unicameral parliament, guaranteeing a slim majority.
Annastacia Palaszczuk has said she is waiting on two more seat to be officially called before going to the Queensland governor, Paul de Jersey, for consent to form a government.
The Electoral Commission of Queensland declared three more seats on Friday, including one for Labor, taking Labor’s official seat tally to 45, two shy of the 47 it needs to govern alone. Labor is expected to reach 48 when the final six seats are declared.
Labor’s Kim Richards has taken Redlands from the LNP. Labor outcast turned independent Rick Williams has lost Pumicestone to the LNP’s Simone Wilson, and the LNP’s Ted Sorensen has retained Hervey Bay.
Nicholls will resign as opposition leader and a party room meeting has been called on Tuesday to choose his successor. Deb Frecklington, the LNP member for Nanango, has announced she will run for the position.
One of Frecklington’s potential rivals has already decided not to contest next week’s ballot and another signed on to be her deputy.
In a statement following the announcement of the departure of leader Tim Nicholls on Friday, Frecklington said she had asked Mander to run as her deputy and he had agreed.
A party room meeting is scheduled to be held on Tuesday to formally declare the new LNP leader.
Former Newman government minister David Crisafulli who will make his return to parliament after being dumped at the 2015 poll, was considered a possible leadership contender but took himself out of the race on Friday.
“Flattered by encouraging words but now is the time for me to reestablish myself in parliament and make a contribution to a strong opposition,” Crisafulli tweeted.
Party stalwart John Paul Langbroek has also been mooted as a challenger, having held the role before.
Former shadow treasurer Scott Emerson would have been in the leadership mix but suffered a shock loss in his new seat of Maiwar to the Greens.
In her statement, Frecklington said she wanted the party to reconnect with voters following its poor showing at the 25 November poll.
“I want to recreate for my three daughters the Queensland I experienced when I was growing up, but also a state that’s geared up to tackle the challenges of the future,” Frecklington said in the statement.
“My nomination offers an opportunity for the LNP to take a fresh approach that will allow us to reconnect with our community - an opportunity to forge a party that draws strongly on the LNP’s traditional values combined with a good dose of down-to-earth, common-sense ideas that will drive Queensland forward.”
Nicholls on Friday formally conceded the party had lost last month’s election and said he would not recontest the LNP leadership.
Frecklington paid tribute to Mr Nicholls, saying he had run “a positive campaign with a forward-looking agenda.”
“Politics is a tough game and Tim left nothing on the field in his drive to improve Queensland.”
For his part, Nicholls paid tribute to his deputy as a “passionate voice for all Queensland” in his resignation statement on Friday.
The opposition leader phoned the premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, on Friday morning to advise her.
Labor looks certain to win at least 47 seats in Queensland’s unicameral parliament, guaranteeing a slim majority.
Annastacia Palaszczuk has said she is waiting on two more seat to be officially called before going to the Queensland governor, Paul de Jersey, for consent to form a government.
The Electoral Commission of Queensland declared three more seats on Friday, including one for Labor, taking Labor’s official seat tally to 45, two shy of the 47 it needs to govern alone. Labor is expected to reach 48 when the final six seats are declared.
Labor’s Kim Richards has taken Redlands from the LNP. Labor outcast turned independent Rick Williams has lost Pumicestone to the LNP’s Simone Wilson, and the LNP’s Ted Sorensen has retained Hervey Bay.
Nicholls will resign as opposition leader and a party room meeting has been called on Tuesday to choose his successor. Deb Frecklington, the LNP member for Nanango, has announced she will run for the position.
One of Frecklington’s potential rivals has already decided not to contest next week’s ballot and another signed on to be her deputy.
In a statement following the announcement of the departure of leader Tim Nicholls on Friday, Frecklington said she had asked Mander to run as her deputy and he had agreed.
A party room meeting is scheduled to be held on Tuesday to formally declare the new LNP leader.
Former Newman government minister David Crisafulli who will make his return to parliament after being dumped at the 2015 poll, was considered a possible leadership contender but took himself out of the race on Friday.
“Flattered by encouraging words but now is the time for me to reestablish myself in parliament and make a contribution to a strong opposition,” Crisafulli tweeted.
Party stalwart John Paul Langbroek has also been mooted as a challenger, having held the role before.
Former shadow treasurer Scott Emerson would have been in the leadership mix but suffered a shock loss in his new seat of Maiwar to the Greens.
In her statement, Frecklington said she wanted the party to reconnect with voters following its poor showing at the 25 November poll.
“I want to recreate for my three daughters the Queensland I experienced when I was growing up, but also a state that’s geared up to tackle the challenges of the future,” Frecklington said in the statement.
“My nomination offers an opportunity for the LNP to take a fresh approach that will allow us to reconnect with our community - an opportunity to forge a party that draws strongly on the LNP’s traditional values combined with a good dose of down-to-earth, common-sense ideas that will drive Queensland forward.”
Nicholls on Friday formally conceded the party had lost last month’s election and said he would not recontest the LNP leadership.
Frecklington paid tribute to Mr Nicholls, saying he had run “a positive campaign with a forward-looking agenda.”
“Politics is a tough game and Tim left nothing on the field in his drive to improve Queensland.”
For his part, Nicholls paid tribute to his deputy as a “passionate voice for all Queensland” in his resignation statement on Friday.
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