REDLANDS MP Peter Dowling has survived the first stage of a gruelling LNP vetting process in his bid to be re-endorsed.
Queensland party president Bruce McIver rang Mr Dowling this afternoon to inform him he had been cleared to proceed to the next stage of the pre-selection process.
Long-serving MP Bruce Flegg was not so lucky, losing his bid for LNP pre-selection.
Mudgeeraba MP Ros Bates was also cleared to move forward with her pre-selection bid.
Mr Dowling said he was relieved after surviving questions from the 28 members of the party executive at a confidential vetting session this morning.
Mr Dowling will remain Redlands MP until the election. His fate will be determined by the number of other applicants for pre-selection.
If there are no other applicants, members of the Redlands branch of the State Electorate Council will formally announce Mr Dowling as the LNP’s candidate for the seat, in which he has a 22 per cent margin.
If there are other candidates, the branch will determine who will be the LNP candidate with a pre-selection ballot open to all branch members.
However, Mr Dowling said he had not heard of other applicants and doubted claims the executive had vetted 12 other applications for the seat today.
“I’m optimistic and I believe that my branch supports me,” he said, pointing out he had served the community for 14 years at a local and state level.
He said his wife, Helen, was relieved and happy after the party decision.
