Queensland shows way for rebuilding Coalition
QUEENSLAND will be the “foundational bulwark” from which the Coalition rebuilds its political fortunes nationally, state LNP president Lawrence Springborg has declared as he seeks to rally despondent party members.
Mr Springborg issued a rallying cry as the LNP faces losing two seats in Queensland, with Trevor Evans being defeated and Julian Simmonds also likely to go, while Senator Amanda Stoker will not be returned to the upper house.
But it still holds 21 of the state’s 30 seats, while Bob Katter retained his seat of Kennedy and Labor had secured at least five and likely a sixth with Brisbane. Acknowledging the “wave of disappointment” felt by LNP supporters, Mr Springborg said the state now held 40 per cent of the Coalition’s seats. Queensland MP Peter Dutton is now in the box seat for the Liberal Party leadership.
Moderate standard-bearer Senator Simon Birmingham was first out of the blocks publicly, saying the party was paying the price for failing to lock in climate and energy policy during the era of Malcolm Turnbull.