Timothy James Nicholls (born 6 April 1965) is an Australian politician and a former leader of the Liberal National Party of Queensland. He served as the Treasurer of Queensland and the Minister for Trade of that state between March/April 2012 and 14 February 2015. He is the member for Clayfield in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland. He was originally a member of the Liberal Party including a stint as its deputy leader, but joined the Liberal National Party in 2008 when the Liberal Party and the National Party merged in Queensland.

Tim Nicholls
Nicholls in 2023
Leader of the Opposition in Queensland
Elections: 2017
In office
6 May 2016 – 12 December 2017
PremierAnnastacia Palaszczuk
DeputyDeb Frecklington
Preceded byLawrence Springborg
Succeeded byDeb Frecklington
Leader of the Liberal National Party
In office
6 May 2016 – 12 December 2017
DeputyDeb Frecklington
Preceded byLawrence Springborg
Succeeded byDeb Frecklington
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party in Queensland
In office
6 December 2007 – 27 July 2008
LeaderMark McArdle
Preceded byMark McArdle
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Cabinet posts
Minister for Trade in Queensland
In office
3 April 2012 – 14 February 2015
PremierCampbell Newman
Preceded byAndrew Fraser
Succeeded byJackie Trad
Treasurer of Queensland
In office
26 March 2012 – 14 February 2015
PremierCampbell Newman
Preceded byAndrew Fraser
Succeeded byCurtis Pitt
Shadow cabinet posts
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Justice
Assumed office
16 November 2020
LeaderDavid Crisafulli
Preceded byDavid Janetzki
Shadow Minister for Arts and Major Events
In office
6 May 2016 – 15 December 2017
LeaderHimself
Preceded byJann Stuckey (Major Events)
Ian Walker (Arts)
Succeeded byChristian Rowan
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Planning, Small Business, Employment and Trade
In office
14 February 2015 – 6 May 2016
LeaderLawrence Springborg
Preceded byTim Mulherin
Succeeded byDeb Frecklington (Infrastructure and Trade)
Jarrod Bleijie (Employment)
Scott Emerson (Small Business)
Ian Walker (Planning)
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Queensland
In office
23 March 2011 – 24 March 2012
LeaderJeff Seeney
Preceded byLawrence Springborg
Succeeded byTim Mulherin
Shadow Treasurer of Queensland
In office
12 August 2008 – 24 March 2012
LeaderLawrence Springborg
John-Paul Langbroek
Campbell Newman
Preceded byBruce Flegg
Succeeded byCurtis Pitt
Shadow Minister for Transport
In office
17 September 2007 – 12 August 2008
LeaderJeff Seeney
Lawrence Springborg
Preceded byVaughan Johnson
Succeeded byFiona Simpson
Electorate
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Clayfield
Assumed office
9 September 2006
Preceded byLiddy Clark
Succeeded by
Local government politics
Member of the Brisbane City Council
In office
2000–2006
ConstituencyHamilton Ward
Personal details
Born (1965-04-06) 6 April 1965 (age 59)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Political partyLiberal National (since 2008)
Other political
affiliations
Liberal (until 2008)
EducationTrinity Grammar School
Church of England Grammar School
Alma materQueensland University of Technology (LLB)
ProfessionSolicitor

Education

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Nicholls was educated at Trinity Grammar School in Melbourne and the Anglican Church Grammar School in Brisbane.[1]

He completed a Bachelor of Laws at Queensland University of Technology.[2]

Political career

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Nicholls in 2011

Nicholls, originally a solicitor, began his career as a councillor in the Hamilton ward of the Brisbane City Council, which he held for six years. In 2006 he ran as the Liberal candidate in Clayfield. He defeated incumbent member Liddy Clark on 9 September 2006 achieving a swing of 3.2 points.[3]

Shortly after being elected to State Parliament, Nicholls was encouraged by party colleagues to stand against Bruce Flegg for the Liberal Party leadership. He did not initially have enough support in the eight member Liberal caucus.[4]

Shortly after the federal election of 2007, Nicholls again stood against Flegg for leadership.[5] Eventually Mark McArdle was offered as a neutral party and he accepted leadership with Nicholls as his deputy.[6]

The leadership dispute was rendered virtually moot when the Queensland Liberals and Queensland Nationals merged less than a year later to form the Liberal National Party. Nicholls was appointed Shadow Treasurer by Lawrence Springborg and continued to hold that position in John-Paul Langbroek's Shadow Ministry.[7]

When Campbell Newman stood for the leadership of the party in April 2011, Nicholls supported him and was named interim Deputy Leader of the Opposition. Newman retained Nicholls as Shadow Treasurer. After the LNP won the largest majority government in Queensland history at the 2012 state election, Newman named Nicholls as his Treasurer, and he was sworn in on 26 March.[8][9]

Leader of the LNP (2016–2017)

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Following the state election in 2015 which saw the LNP lose government and several difficult months in parliament, Nicholls challenged Lawrence Springborg for the leadership of the party on 6 May 2016, winning the ballot 22 votes to 19.[10] He was the third person from the Liberal side of the merger to hold the post. After the party suffered a three-seat swing at the 2017 state election, Nicholls announced he would stand down as leader of the party.[11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ludlow, Mark (27–28 April 2013). "Ready for the Main Game". The Australian Financial Review. p. 52.
  2. ^ "Mr Timothy (Tim) Nicholls". Member Details. Queensland Parliament. Archived from the original on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  3. ^ "State Electoral Results for Clayfield". ABC News. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  4. ^ "Flegg's would-be challenger earns promotion". Brisbane Times. 17 April 2007. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
  5. ^ Name: (will appear on website) (27 November 2007). "Federal Fallout | Gold Coast News". Goldcoast.com.au. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  6. ^ Sean Parnell (6 December 2007). "McArdle made Leader | The Australian". Theaustralian.news.com.au. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  7. ^ Member Biography: Timothy Nicholls, Queensland Legislative Assembly. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  8. ^ announces his deputy, treasurer ABC News, 2012-03-24.
  9. ^ "Newman to form interim cabinet on Monday". Seven News Brisbane. 25 March 2012.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ "Tim Nicholls wins LNP leadership spill against Lawrence Springborg". Australia: ABC News. 6 May 2016.
  11. ^ "Queensland election: LNP's Tim Nicholls concedes defeat, quits LNP leadership". Australia: ABC News. 8 December 2017.
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  Media related to Tim Nicholls at Wikimedia Commons

Political offices
Preceded by Treasurer of Queensland
2012–2015
Succeeded by
Preceded by Leader of the Opposition (Queensland)
2016–2017
Succeeded by
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Member for Clayfield
2006–present
Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Liberal National Party of Queensland
2016–2017
Succeeded by