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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

MP Horan's retirement refusal leaves Copeland nowhere to go ...

See - Courier Mail - LNP's Stuart Copeland to quit.

posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 11:37 AM

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

ABC News:

Oppn's Copeland bows out of Qld politics

24 September 2008

Queensland Opposition frontbencher Stuart Copeland will quit politics because his seat of Cunningham was abolished in a recent redistribution.

The Darling Downs-based MP in the state's south-east was faced with the prospect of contesting a Labor held seat or moving to the vacant electorate of Beaudesert.

But he says he has decided against those options and will retire at next year's election.

Mr Copeland says he is disappointed to be leaving state politics.

"Politics is an uncertain business," he said.

"When you put your name on the ballot paper for the first time your future is unknown, even convergence of circumstances.

"Even though I would like to continue representing my electorate, that does not look like it will be possible."

Mr Copeland is also standing down immediately as shadow attorney-general and the role will be filled in the short-term by Deputy Opposition Leader Mark McArdle.

Mr Copeland says it has been a difficult decision because he wants to stay in Queensland politics.

"But I felt very uncomfortable with being seen as a political candidate who parachuted into a completely new electorate simply to keep their seat in State Parliament," he said.

"I think the public views that cynically and I think that's quite rightly viewed cynically."

The LNP's Ray Hopper will now contest the new seat of Dalby, which was formed when his current seat of Darling Downs and much of Mr Copeland's Cunningham electorate were merged.

Mr Hopper says it is a blow for the Party to lose such a talented MP.

But Mr Hopper says he did not consider standing aside for his colleague.

"No way in the world," he said.

"I work my electorate hard and we work hard out here.

"I've got people to represent that I've got to know over the last eight years and under the grandfather clause in our Party unfortunately preselection didn't take place and that's the way the cookie crumbles."

Mr McArdle has paid tribute to Mr Copeland, saying he understands the Toowoomba-based MP's decision.

"His seat has been completely abolished - it's completely different to his seat being left in part intact," Mr McArdle said.

"His seat has been changed to the point it no longer exists.

"He has looked very hard at his options and he has come to a conclusion that he will move on and we're sorry to see him go."

1:17 PM, September 24, 2008

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Courier Mail:

Stuart Copeland to retire after Downs seat abolished

September 25, 2008

State Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg has suffered a major blow, losing one of his strongest frontbenchers from a bungled renewal process.

It comes just as a new poll showed voters were deserting the Bligh Government.

Cunningham MP and shadow attorney-general Stuart Copeland yesterday became the victim of electoral musical chairs, deciding to retire at the next election after his Darling Downs seat was abolished in the recent boundary redistribution.

The move came after Mr Copeland considered running in other seats including Beaudesert, held by retiring Liberal National Kev Lingard, or the Labor stronghold of Toowoomba North.

The Courier-Mail reported last month that Toowoomba South MP Mike Horan, 64, had reneged on his retirement plans, which would have left a vacancy for Mr Copeland, 40.

The LNP constitution states sitting MPs are automatically preselected, meaning Darling Downs member Ray Hopper - whose current electorate makes up the largest percentage of the new seat of Condamine - has the right to that seat.

Mr Springborg was unavailable yesterday but it was understood several of his team were disgusted at losing Mr Copeland.

"We are amazed that Lawrence does not have the guts to do what should have been done and tap Horan on the shoulder," one LNP politician said.

Mr Copeland, who was likely to retire with an indexed annual pension of about $63,500, yesterday said he might return if Mr Horan retired down the track. "It's certainly disappointing (and) it has forced me into a decision I did not wish to take," he said.

Possible frontbench replacements included Andrew Cripps or Bruce Flegg.

Mr Copeland's retirement plans dampened LNP spirits after the latest Newspoll showed it had stormed back into contention with a 41 per cent primary vote compared to Labor's 38 per cent, its worst primary vote since 1983.

Labor was ahead 51 to 49 per cent on a two-party preferred basis on 2006 election preferences, leaving the Greens, who refuse to back either party, in a crucial position.

Greens spokeswoman Libby Connors yesterday said the party was tired of broken promises by Labor.

"There is just such disillusionment with Labor," Ms Connors said.

Mr Horan denied he had planned to retire, saying the LNP would need youth and experience if it won government.

12:52 AM, September 25, 2008

 

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