Overview
- Canavan confirmed on Sunday that he will seek LNP preselection for the Central Queensland seat of Capricornia and aim to contest it at the next federal election.
- The vacancy follows Michelle Landry’s announcement on October 23 that she will not recontest Capricornia, creating an open lower-house seat the Coalition currently holds by about 5.8 per cent.
- Canavan has said he is willing to give up his safe Senate spot to shore up Coalition numbers after One Nation’s polling surge raised the risk to his second position on the Queensland Senate ticket behind James McGrath.
- One Nation national director James Ashby has publicly flagged a possible run in Capricornia, and Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie has criticised One Nation for targeting Coalition-held seats.
- Preselection and formal nominations are now the immediate next steps and the outcome could reshape the Coalition’s lower-house math and local campaigning in Central Queensland.