- After a poll defeat, Queensland Liberal National Party Leader Deb Frecklington has announced she will resign from the top position
- Labor recorded a 5.2 per cent swing to successfully claim another term in Government in the sunshine state at the weekend
- Frecklington’s resignation today is a backflip from her position on Saturday night when the LNP Leader refused to step down
- In the meantime, the reelection of Premier Annastasia Palaszczuk is being seen as a win for Federal Labor as well
- The party is hopeful the swing to Labor in Queensland will help its own federal candidates claw back seats when the next election is held in 2022
Queensland Liberal National Party Leader Deb Frecklington has announced she will resign from the leadership position, after losing the State Election.
Labor recorded a 5.2 per cent swing towards the party to successfully claim another term in Government in the sunshine state on Saturday.
LNP loss
The news of Frecklington’s resignation can be seen as a backflip — considering the LNP Leader had said she would remain in the post.
At the time of the results being called, the Opposition Leader stated she would remain as party leader going forward.
“I will continue to play my part in the Liberal National Party and I will continue as the leader of this great party,” Deb said.
“The LNP is going to continue to hold the Palaszczuk Government to account,” she added on Saturday night.
But, two days later, Frecklington has bowed to pressure and announce she will resign.
“My first instinct is always to fight on,” Deb said when asked about the resignation backflip.
“Once all of the results are finally declared I will convene a party room meeting and I will ask my colleagues to appoint a new leader of the Liberal National Party,” she said.
“I will not be a candidate in the leadership contest,” the soon-to-be-former Opposition Leader concluded.
Labor win
Queensland’s Labor win at the weekend isn’t only seen as a victory for Premier Palaszczuk — who has now won three elections — but as a victory for Federal Labor.
The ALP suffered a wipe-out in the last Federal Election in 2019, losing two of its seats and suffering a 4 per cent swing against it.
Last Saturday’s swing to State Labor is being interpreted by some Labor figures as voters turning against Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who helped Frecklington campaign.
“Scott Morrison started an argument with Annastacia Palaszczuk and the voters finished it in her favour,” Labor’s Jim Chalmers said.
“This was overwhelmingly a positive result for the QLD Premier but the Prime Minister can hardly pretend he wasn’t here for a week and had nothing to do with it” #QLDvotes #auspol #qldpol https://t.co/IiMmrMvPRq
— Jim Chalmers MP (@JEChalmers) November 1, 2020
“This was overwhelmingly a positive result for the Premier but the Prime Minister can hardly pretend he wasn’t here for a week and had nothing to do with it,” he added.
However, Labor still has a long way ahead before the next federal election is held, with the PM recently stating he would go full-term and hold the election in 2022.