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| Former Queensland premier Campbell Newman considering federal comeback | Former Queensland premier Campbell Newman considering federal comeback |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Campbell Newman, the former Queensland premier who was turfed from his state seat 14 months ago, is considering a return to politics as a federal candidate. | Campbell Newman, the former Queensland premier who was turfed from his state seat 14 months ago, is considering a return to politics as a federal candidate. |
| Related: I don't like Campbell Newman, but here's something I Can Do: defend his awful book | Gay Alcorn | Related: I don't like Campbell Newman, but here's something I Can Do: defend his awful book | Gay Alcorn |
| Newman is considering nominating for the seat of Brisbane after the incumbent, Teresa Gambaro, announced she would not contest the next federal election. | Newman is considering nominating for the seat of Brisbane after the incumbent, Teresa Gambaro, announced she would not contest the next federal election. |
| His biographer and former Liberal National party MP Gavin King told ABC on Thursday that Newman had been sounded out by federal MPs and party officials about running. | His biographer and former Liberal National party MP Gavin King told ABC on Thursday that Newman had been sounded out by federal MPs and party officials about running. |
| Newman was “indeed weighing it up but there are no major or firm moves”, King said. | Newman was “indeed weighing it up but there are no major or firm moves”, King said. |
| “Campbell has been contacted by a couple of federal MPs, people from the national and state executive of the LNP,” King said. | “Campbell has been contacted by a couple of federal MPs, people from the national and state executive of the LNP,” King said. |
| Newman, who had said he was retiring from politics after his government’s shock defeat by Annastacia Palaszczuk’s unfancied Labor at the January 2015 election, refused to rule out a comeback when contacted by the Courier-Mail on Wednesday. | Newman, who had said he was retiring from politics after his government’s shock defeat by Annastacia Palaszczuk’s unfancied Labor at the January 2015 election, refused to rule out a comeback when contacted by the Courier-Mail on Wednesday. |
| It signals a marked about-face by Newman, whose personal stocks as a highly popular Brisbane lord mayor were transformed during a tumultuous reign as state premier. | It signals a marked about-face by Newman, whose personal stocks as a highly popular Brisbane lord mayor were transformed during a tumultuous reign as state premier. |
| His combative personal style, marked by clashes over public service sackings, as well as with traditionally conservative groups such as lawyers and doctors, was held by many in the LNP as a key factor in the government’s loss just one term after taking power in a historic landslide in 2012. | His combative personal style, marked by clashes over public service sackings, as well as with traditionally conservative groups such as lawyers and doctors, was held by many in the LNP as a key factor in the government’s loss just one term after taking power in a historic landslide in 2012. |
| Newman, who is now the chairman of an agricultural robotics company, said six months ago he was “not at all” interested in a return to politics. | |
| “Just for the avoidance of doubt, I’m not going back,” he told the ABC. He said that “for me, it was never about politics. I’ve never been interested in politics and I actually don’t like it much at all, believe it or not. | |
| “For me, it was all about outcomes.” | “For me, it was all about outcomes.” |
| If Newman ran, he would face a preselection battle potentially involving a former Peter Dutton staffer, Trevor Evans. As a candidate, Newman, a former army major, would be up against Labor’s Pat O’Neill, a serving army major. | |
| Related: Clive Palmer and Campbell Newman to go to mediation over defamation dispute | Related: Clive Palmer and Campbell Newman to go to mediation over defamation dispute |
| O’Neill, who is gay, told Fairfax he’d “love to be in a fight against Campbell Newman”, saying his government’s decision to repeal civil ceremonies for same-sex couples would hurt him in the progressive Brisbane seat. | O’Neill, who is gay, told Fairfax he’d “love to be in a fight against Campbell Newman”, saying his government’s decision to repeal civil ceremonies for same-sex couples would hurt him in the progressive Brisbane seat. |
| The LNP’s Queensland leader, Lawrence Springborg, said Brisbane was a seat “that’s not traditionally the LNP’s way and of course it will always involve a significant and hard-fought campaign”. | |
| King said Newman would have to talk over his return to politics with his wife, Lisa, and consider his business interests. | |
| “Campbell is a fairly young man and he’s got a lot to offer,” he said. | “Campbell is a fairly young man and he’s got a lot to offer,” he said. |
| “It would certainly give him an opportunity to try and enact some of those thoughts and some of those issues he’s addressed over many years. | “It would certainly give him an opportunity to try and enact some of those thoughts and some of those issues he’s addressed over many years. |
| “It will come down to whether the party wants him or not.” | “It will come down to whether the party wants him or not.” |
| Newman’s parents, Kevin and Jocelyn, both represented Tasmania in the federal parliament and were ministers in the Fraser and Howard governments respectively. | |
| Comment was sought from Newman. | Comment was sought from Newman. |