As the LNP in Queensland heads towards a leadership spill this morning, north Queensland crossbenchers have announced their support for current leader Lawrence Springborg.
Katter’s Australian Party parliamentary colleagues Rob Katter and Shane Knuth, along with independent Rob Pyne, say a change of leadership would see Liberal members of the coalition return to the “combative Newman years”.
They claim Mr Springborg’s cooperative attitude has delivered “genuine legislative outcomes” rather than playing party games.
The party room meeting will take place at 11 this morning, with senior LNP figure Jeff Seeney to call a motion to declare leadership positions vacant.
According to the Brisbane Times, Tim Nicholls is now Mr Springborg’s only challenger, after party room sources all but ruled out support for Tim Mander.
The statement released this morning by KAP reads as follows:
“We, the below-named members of the Queensland crossbench stand together to support Lawrence Springborg as leader of the opposition, identifying the commitment he has shown to interact and consult with the independents and the KAP.
“We are supportive of a constructive Parliament which, with the help of Mr Spingborg's leadership, has resulted in the passing of several pieces of legislation against the ALP government, making history for the first time in decades.
“This cooperation in the current political climate has delivered a far more democratic and constructive 55th parliament, one that has seen cross benches and the opposition deliver genuine legislative outcomes rather than simply play party political games.
“The recent move against the leader of the opposition is an attempt by Liberal members of the LNP to frustrate the parties efforts to cooperate with the cross bench and marks a return to the arrogant and combative Newman years, an approach to government that the people of Queensland so convincingly rejected when they elected the current parliament.
“Rob Katter MP, Shane Knuth MP, Rob Pyne MP”