The ABC News (7.2.15) reports:
‘Lawrence Springborg has been elected as leader of Queensland’s Liberal National Party, with John-Paul Langbroek as deputy leader.
‘Caretaker premier Campbell Newman called the party room meeting after he lost his seat at last weekend’s election, declared his political career over and deputy leader Jeff Seeney stood down.
‘LNP MPs met at Parliament House in Brisbane this morning for the leadership ballot.
‘Mr Springborg was elected to Parliament in 1989 as the Member for Southern Downs as a 21-year-old and has attracted criticism as a “career politician”.
First elected as MP for Carnarvon in 1989 at the age of 21, the youngest MP to be elected to the Queensland Parliament
Switched to represent Warwick at the 1992 election and his seat then re-formed as Southern Downs ahead of the 2001 election
Served as government Whip 1996-98, becoming Minister for Natural Resources from February to June 1998
Elected deputy national party leader in February 1999 but lost the position after the 2001 election
Returned as leader in February 2003 and led the then-Coalition to defeat at the 2004 election
In mid-2006, Mr Springborg and Liberal leader Bob Quinn announced a merger of the Liberal and National parties but this was rejected by the federal parties
Led the Coalition to another defeat at the state election in early 2006
Resigned after the 2006 election but returned as leader when the merged Liberal National Party was finally formed in July 2008
Led the party to a third defeat in 2009 and resigned the leadership, instead becoming deputy leader to John-Paul Langbroek
Resigned as deputy LNP leader when Campbell Newman was installed as extra-parliamentary leader in 2011
Was health minister since the election of the Newman government in 2012
He led the Opposition for the LNP to three election defeats in 2004, 2006 and 2009.’