December 8, 2017
LNP leader Tim Nicholls conceded defeat on Friday morning after the Electoral Commission declared results in more seats in the Queensland State Election.
The latest declarations took the Labor Party tally to 47 seats, enough for it to form a majority government.
“This morning I rang @AnnastaciaMP to concede & wish her the best. I am proud of the positive campaign @LNPQLD ran,” Mr Nicholls tweeted.
“I take full responsibility for it. At the party room on Tuesday I will not seek to continue as LNP leader. It is time for a new generation of LNP leaders.”
Almost immediately, Deputy Leader Deb Frecklington signalled her intention to challenge for the position, on a ticket with former Shadow Education Minister Tim Mander.
“It has been a great honour to loyally serve as Deputy Leader of the Liberal National Party for the past 18 months. Tim Nicholls and our team worked tirelessly to develop policies that would address the main concerns of Queenslanders frustrated with the major parties,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“The LNP proudly announced more than 100 policies through the election campaign on issues that matter – soaring power prices, the urgent need for new job-creating infrastructure such as roads and dams and tax cuts to free up small business to create jobs for our young people.
“We ran a positive campaign with a forward-looking agenda but our largely volunteer organisation simply couldn’t compete with Labor’s campaign machine of union conscripts and negative smear and fear politics.
“That aside, Queenslanders have spoken and as a party we must listen, regroup and rebuild faith in the LNP as the only conservative party that can actually deliver for Queenslanders across the State.
“I was raised in a family where you didn’t just sit back, complain and expect others to create opportunities and solve problems.
“You put up your hand to serve your community, in whatever way you could, not just to make things better for your own family but for everyone in your community.
“It’s why I entered politics and it’s why today I’m announcing that I’m putting up my hand to run for leadership of the LNP in Queensland.
“I have asked Tim Mander to run alongside me as Deputy and he’s agreed.
“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.
“I understand that most Queenslanders just want to have a steady job, build a good life for their family and get ahead. They want politicians who represent them and their communities, not their own self-interests.
“I can assure Queenslanders that I take a no-frills attitude to politics and with me, what you see is what you get.
“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.
“I pay tribute to Tim Nicholls for his hard work, dedication and leadership over the past 18 months. Politics is a tough game and Tim left nothing on the field in his drive to improve Queensland.
“Out of respect for my colleagues and the party room process, I won’t be making any further public comments until after next Tuesday’s party room meeting.”
The Party Room meeting is scheduled to begin at 2:00pm.
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Other names that have been mentioned as possible as contenders for Opposition Leader include Member for Broadwater David Crisafulli and former Opposition Leader John Paul Langbroek.
Mr Langbroek confirmed on Friday he would vie for the position at Tuesday’s LNP party room meeting however Mr Crisafulli said on Twitter he would not be standing:
“Flattered by encouraging words but now is the time for me to re-establish myself in Parliament and make a contribution to a strong opposition,” he wrote.
