Felicity Caldwell reports in the Brisbane Times (4.3.17) on the prospect of ‘generational change’ at the next Queensland election, with two of the LNP’s most experienced MPs set to retire from state politics, in addition to the Independent Speaker and other established members.
‘The LNP will forge ahead to the next state election without two of its most experienced hands on deck.
‘Member for Callide Jeff Seeney’s announcement this week that he would not contest the state election follows member for Southern Downs Lawrence Springborg’s retirement news in December.
‘The loss of Mr Springborg, the father of the LNP and three-time leader of the party, will be felt particularly hard, although generational change is not necessarily always a bad thing.
‘Mr Springborg was elected in 1989 with the National Party, at the age of 21, and played a leading role in the Liberal National Party merger in 2008. Mr Seeney was elected with the Nationals at the 1998 election, has led the opposition, and was deputy premier under Campbell Newman.
‘When asked if the loss of Mr Seeney and Mr Springborg would be a great loss or a chance for renewal, Griffith University politics expert Paul Williams said it would be a “bit of column A and column B”.
‘… Dr Williams said the loss of experience would be especially felt because Queensland may be going into the “most unstable government since the 1890s” following the next state election, widely tipped to be in the second half of 2017.’
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