A number of regional and rural MPs have been given their stripes in new LNP leader Deb Frecklington’s shadow cabinet, announced on Friday afternoon.
Among them are Toowoomba North and Toowoomba South representatives, Trevor Watts and David Janetzki, Gympie’s Tony Perrett, Burnett’s Stephen Bennett, Gregory’s Lachlan Millar, and Warrego’s Ann Leahy.
Ms Leahy is one of four women, including leader Deb Frecklington, in the 18-person line-up.
The ‘west of the Great Divide’ flavour of the shadow cabinet is in stark contrast to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk’s ministry announced on Tuesday, in which only two ministers were from outside Brisbane, from the Cairns and Townsville regions.
Ms Frecklington said when she was elected LNP leader on Tuesday, she and her deputy, Tim Mander, would push the reset button.
She described the shadow cabinet as a mix of experienced and new faces.
They include five former Newman government ministers in Andrew Powell, Ros Bate, Jarrod Bleijie, David Crisafulli, and John-Paul Langbroek.
Representing Surfers Paradise, Mr Langbroek, who contested Tuesday’s leadership ballot, and who has been a previous opposition leader and deputy LNP leader, has been given the Sport & Racing, and Commonwealth Games shadow ministry, as well as Multicultural Affairs.
New shadow Employment and Small Business minister, Fiona Simpson, is one of the longest-serving LNP representatives in the Parliament, with many shadow ministries, and was Speaker in the 2012-2015 Parliament.
Three other shadow ministers, Dale Last, Michael Hart and Dr Christian Rowan, had responsibilities in Tim Nicholls’ shadow ministry.
Mr Nicholls is not in the new shadow ministry, instead being appointed chair of the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Commission.
Ms Frecklington described Friday’s announcement as the first step in pressing the reset button, keeping Labor to account, and earning back the trust of Queenslanders.
“I have communicated to my new team, my first priority is to unite Queensland with a team that represents all of Queensland.
“We need to end Labor’s division between South East Queensland and the rest of the state.
“The other priorities are tackling ICE, creating jobs and busting congestion by building more infrastructure, delivering better services and taking action on the cost of living.”
Shadow Ministers and responsibilities
- Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Trade: Deb Frecklington
- Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Treasurer: Tim Mander
- Shadow Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning: Andrew Powell
- Shadow Minister for Employment and Small Business, Shadow Minister for Training and Skills Development: Fiona Simpson
- Shadow Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Shadow Minister for Women: Ros Bates
- Shadow Minister for Education and Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, Manager of Opposition Business: Jarrod Bleijie
- Shadow Attorney-General and Shadow Minister for Justice: David Janetzki.
- Shadow Minister for Transport and Main Roads: Steve Minnikin
- Shadow Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Shadow Minister for Northern Queensland: Dale Last
- Shadow Minister for Police and Counter Terrorism, Shadow Minister for Corrective Services: Trevor Watts
- Shadow Minister for Environment, Science and the Great Barrier Reef, Shadow Minister for Tourism: David Crisafulli
- Shadow Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Forestry: Tony Perrett
- Shadow Minister for Housing and Public Works, Shadow Minister for Energy, Shadow Minister for Innovation and Digital Technology: Michael Hart
- Shadow Minister for Local Government: Ann Leahy
- Shadow Minister for Communities and Shadow Minister for Disability Services and Seniors, Shadow Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Shadow Minister for the Arts: Christian Rowan
- Shadow Minister for Sport & Racing and Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Shadow Minister for the Commonwealth Games: John-Paul Langbroek
- Shadow Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Shadow Minister for Veterans: Stephen Bennett
- Shadow Minister for Fire, Emergency Services and Volunteers: Lachlan Millar