Victorious LNP leader Tim Nicholls speaks at a press conference with new deputy Deb Frecklington (right) following the spill. Credit:Bradley Kanaris New LNP leader Tim Nicholls said the leadership challenge that led to Lawrence Springborg's demotion was not about personalities, but instead because "people used to go to work without worrying what the state government was doing to them". In his first media conference since the party room leadership spill, in which Mr Nicholls took the leadership in the second ballot, 22 votes to 19, against Mr Springborg, the former Treasurer again paid tribute to his former leader and deputy John-Paul Langbroek for their "tremendous efforts for the people in the state of Queensland". But Mr Nicholls said it was time to take the fight against the Labor Party to the next level. And that he and new deputy Deb Frecklington, who was elected unopposed, were the people to do it. "Now this hasn't been about Tim Nicholls and Deb Frecklington," he said.

The media gather around the new LNP leaders outside Parliament. Credit:Bradley Kanaris "This is about taking the fight up to a frozen-at-the-wheel incompetent Labor government. "People used to go to work without worrying what the state government was doing to them. Mr Nicholls just before the party room vote. Credit:Bradley Kanaris "But now people are coming up to me as I travel the length and breadth of this state and they are going to their coffee shops, they are shopping in their shopping centres, they are taking their kids to school or sporting events and they are concerned about what is not happening in Queensland.

"And they look at New South Wales and they look at Victoria and they see what is happening there. And of course, they ask why. "And the reason is we have a frozen-at-the-wheel Labor government. A government more interested in looking after its union mates than it is about the people of Queensland, and that has to change. "Our responsibility as the new leaders of the LNP opposition in Queensland is to take that fight up to the Labor Party to point out their failures and to ensure that Queenslanders, the length and breadth of this great state, have all the opportunities that they deserve. The better jobs, the better businesses, the better lives that they all expect." NSW and Victoria were granted access to the federal government's $5 billion asset recycling fund when they agreed to privatise assets, prompting their infrastructure building boom, something Queensland was locked out of when the Palaszczuk government, which campaigned against asset sales, took power. But Mr Nicholls, who was the face of the LNP's Strong Choices program, said he and the party understood asset sales were off the agenda.

"We took a program to the people of Queensland at the last election, they rejected it, we've accepted that position, we don't intend to change from it," he said. But despite once telling Queenslanders that their only choices to fix the budget deficit and build the necessary infrastructure was to privatise assets, raise taxes and charges, or go without, Mr Nicholls said the LNP would deliver its own plan on how to address the state's budget woes in the near future. "It is the Labor Party who made the promises that they could deliver, without following our plan. They now have a mandate to do that, they have to demonstrate how they are doing that," he said. "Because at the moment, there isn't cross river rail; at the moment, there isn't money for the upgrade of the Sunshine Coast railway. There isn't money to go into the regions and they are paying the price for it. So our job is to keep the Labor Party accountable for the promises they made and in the meantime we will be delivering our policies over the next few months."

Katters react The Katter's Australian Party, which released a statement in support of Mr Springborg ahead of the leadership spill, was visibly disappointed in the outcome of the vote, but said they would reserve judgment. In Queensland's hung parliament, both the government and the opposition must woo the crossbench, which holds the balance of power. Shane Knuth said the Katter party would wait to see how the LNP approached them. "Obviously it is going to be different," he said. "We have to work that out because under the Newman government, Tim Nicholls was the Treasurer, we found it very difficult to work with him at the time. He has indicated that he is prepared to move on, so we have to see what pans out after this event."

But Mr Knuth also said he did not believe it to be the end of Mr Springborg, who has served as opposition leader four times since coming to Parliament. "We have seen this happen five times in a row and Lawrence has bounced back and it's not an illusion to say that he may not bounce back again," he said. "Obviously he has some form of credibility if they overthrow him as a leader but they bring him back." 'Energy' meets 'rural values' Mr Nicholls said he and Ms Frecklington, who is the first woman elected to a LNP leadership position (Fiona Simpson served as deputy in the National Party), had the right mix to appeal to voters in urban, regional and rural centres. "We bring together a mix of energy and experience," he said.

"I, of course, have had experience as the Treasurer of this state, I'm energetic and enthusiastic. I have travelled the length and breath of this state. "And Deb brings with her, of course, the values of rural and regional Queensland. As a farmer herself, as a small business operator and, of course, her experience as an elected representative. "So we believe we bring together all the best in Queensland that can be brought together to make sure that the representation from the LNP covers this entire great state." Everton MP Tim Mander had been the original challenger for the leadership but was dropped from contention after the first vote, where he received just 10 votes to Mr Springborg's 17 and Mr Nicholls' 14. The next vote, in a secret ballot, saw Mr Nicholls pick up eight votes from Mr Mander's supporters.

Mr Mander said he was "obviously ... personally disappointed" but was supportive of the change.

Former deputy premier Jeff Seeney, who forced the spill motion when he announced he would move one at the urgent party room meeting Mr Springborg had called, said before the vote that the party would unite behind the leader "whatever the result". He is one of the MPs expected to play a bigger role in the opposition frontbench, which is also likely to include prominent positions for Mr Springborg and Mr Langbroek. Mr Nicholls would only say he had promised the party room he would consult with his colleagues when building his frontbench. "I'll be doing that over the next couple of days to find out what their areas of interest are, where they see themselves in the LNP - all with a focus to delivering better results for Queenslanders," he said. Mr Nicholls said the party was committed to moving forward – together – now issues sparked by divide over the leadership had been lanced.

"They have been clearly addressed and the resolution and the resolve of the party room was now, having made that decision, that we come together as a team and take the fight up to the Labor Party," he said. "We are taking the fight up to a Labor Party that has, of course, lost members in the last 12 months. The member for Cairns has resigned, the member for ... Cook Billy Gordon has had to resign. Jo-Ann Miller has been sacked and then resigned [from the front bench]; if there is division anywhere, there is division in the ALP government." Springborg speaks In a joint statement released just after 3pm, Mr Springborg and Mr Langbroek said it had been a "great honour to lead the LNP to an election-winning position".

"We are very confident Tim Nicholls and Deb Frecklington will deliver for Queenslanders at the next state election with an LNP victory," the statement read. "When we were elected by our colleagues in 2015, the LNP at a Parliamentary and organisational level – along with over a million LNP supporters – were extremely despondent and disappointed following an inexcusable election loss after just one term in government.

"Together with the support of our members, our Parliamentary colleagues and Queenslanders themselves, we have built up the LNP and steered our party into an extremely strong electoral position against a Labor government that is frozen at the wheel and unable to deliver economic confidence and the jobs that go with it. "After just 18 months in opposition, the LNP now consistently polls in an election-winning position and our membership and supporters across Queensland are fired up and ready to start delivering for Queensland again with an LNP government. "The support of Queenslanders everywhere and the support of our rank and file members has been nothing short of inspiring; and we thank them for that." Both premier and union attack The Electrical Trades Union was first off the mark in attacking Mr Nicholls over his previous advocation for privatisation, warning they believed it would soon be back among LNP policies.

Speaking from Maryborough, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was also focused on Mr Nicholls' political past. "The only thing I will make comment about Tim Nicholls is everyone knows that Tim was Campbell Newman's right-hand man," she said. "Tim Nicholls had one thing at the forefront of his thinking and that was to sell our state's assets. "I know very clearly that Queenslanders do not want their assets sold. And under a Labor Government I lead, that will not happen. "I don't know what Tim Nicholls is going to do.

"But what I do know is that my government is focused, we are united, we are about delivering jobs for Queenslanders and that is going to be at the centre of our thinking when we deliver our state's budget next month."

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