Many of former premier Campbell Newman's ministers are still in the Queensland Parliament, despite their leader being booted out in 2015.
Mr Newman has not shrunk quietly into retirement – occasionally commenting publicly on politics and working with agricultural robots – and many of his MPs are still in public life.

After Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls apologised on behalf of the LNP saying the previous LNP government "broke the trust of Queenslanders", Mr Newman hit back on Twitter.
Leaders take responsibility for hard decisions that have to be made-I did. Time for@TimNichollsMP who drove asset sales & cuts #qldpol
— Campbell Newman (@CampbellNewman) March 7, 2017

If @TimNichollsMP had no role in the policies of my govt (yeh right !) what are his policies now and how do they differ ? #qldpol
— Campbell Newman (@CampbellNewman) March 7, 2017
While not a minister, former deli counter employee-turned-member for Lytton Neil Symes is seeking a comeback.
After losing his seat in 2015, Mr Symes said he had a "few health issues that I knew were pending which I needed to address".
Since then, Mr Symes has volunteered with the Lions and began working in the real estate industry in 2015.

In 2016, Mr Symes travelled through Japan and Malaysia.
In the same year, he quit the LNP and decided to stand for One Nation in the seat of Mansfield, against his former parliamentary colleague Ian Walker.

He said he quit the LNP because he believed it had lost its way and decided to get back into politics in September 2016 after "much consideration and advice from my inner circle".
While not a minister, Mr Symes was a member of the Education and Innovation Committee while in government.
Fairfax Media has investigated where former Newman ministers are now.
Campbell Newman ministers
Premier Campbell Newman
The former premier is the chairman of SwarmFarm Robotics, a farming robots company, a director at digital literacy company LinkSprite, a director at Arcana Capital, which helps wholesale investors invest in commercial property, and an advisory board member at Alkira Software, making websites accessible to visually impaired people. Mr Newman made an appearance at Parliament earlier in 2017 for the unveiling of his official portrait. He also recently gave a speech at the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce, saying robots would take backpackers' jobs.
Deputy Premier, State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Jeff Seeney
Mr Seeney is still the member for Callide and now acts as the Leader of Opposition Business. He has announced his retirement at the next state election.
Treasurer and Trade Minister Tim Nicholls
Previously Mr Newman's right hand man as treasurer, Mr Nicholls is now the LNP's Opposition Leader. He is also the opposition arts and major events spokesman.
Health Minister Lawrence Springborg
Mr Springborg is still the member for Southern Downs but has also announced his retirement at the next state election. He is also a member of the Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis Select Committee, chair of the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee and a member of the Committee of the Legislative Assembly.
Education, Training and Employment Minister John-Paul Langbroek
A dentist before entering politics, Mr Langbroek is now the opposition health and ambulance services and Commonwealth Games spokesman.
Police and Community Safety Minister David Gibson
Mr Gibson resigned as police minister in 2012 amid claims he was caught driving unlicensed and he did not contest the 2015 election. Mr Gibson, who grew up with deaf parents, is the chairman of Deaf Services Queensland. He is also on the board of the Deafness Forum of Australia and chairs the Queensland chapter of the Australasian Study of Parliament Group.
Police and Community Safety Minister Jack Dempsey
Mr Dempsey briefly served as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and multicultural affairs minister and minister assisting the premier before becoming the police minister from April 2012, after the resignation of Mr Gibson. He lost his state seat at the 2015 election. The former member for Bundaberg worked as a real estate agent and then was elected as Bundaberg's mayor in March 2016.
Attorney-General and Justice Minister Jarrod Bleijie
Like several others in Mr Newman's cabinet, Mr Bleijie is still in Queensland politics. He is currently in opposition as the employment, industrial relations, skills and training and fair trading spokesman.
Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson
Mr Emerson is now the shadow treasurer and small business spokesman.
Local Government, Community Recovery and Resilience Minister David Crisafulli
Mr Crisafulli lost his seat at the 2015 election and he is understood to be seeking LNP preselection for a Gold Coast seat.
Housing and Public Works Minister Bruce Flegg
The LNP state executive refused to support Dr Flegg's preselection for the 2015 election, choosing Christian Rowan instead, and he did not recontest his seat. He had earlier resigned as a minister in November 2012 after controversies. Dr Flegg returned to working as a GP in Brisbane.
Housing and Public Works Minister Tim Mander
Mr Mander became housing and public works minister in November 2012 following Dr Flegg's resignation. He is currently the opposition police, fire and emergency services and corrective services spokesman.
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister John McVeigh
Mr McVeigh's resignation from the Queensland Parliament in April 2016 triggered a by-election in his seat of Toowoomba South. He then went on to win the federal seat of Groom, formerly held by Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane. The electorate of Groom was once held by Mr McVeigh's father, Tom, in the 1980s.
Environment and Heritage Protection Minister Andrew Powell
Mr Powell has switched seats but he is still in Parliament, now in opposition. He is the LNP spokesman for transport and main roads and local government.
Natural Resources and Mines Minister Andrew Cripps
Mr Cripps is now the opposition natural resources and mines and northern development spokesman.
Energy and Water Supply Minster Mark McArdle
Once a minister in Mr Newman's cabinet, in opposition, he was the health spokesman until May 2016. Mr McArdle is now the deputy chairman of the Health, Communities, Disability Services and Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Committee.
Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services Minister Tracy Davis
Another former Newman government minister, Ms Davis is now the opposition education spokeswoman.
Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts Minister Ros Bates
Ms Bates resigned as minister in 2013 following issues with her lobbyist register and poor health. Still the member for Mudgeeraba, Ms Bates is now the Opposition Communities, Women and Youth, Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, and Disability Services and Seniors spokeswoman.
Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts Minister Ian Walker
While in government, Mr Walker took over as science minister from February 2013 until the LNP lost the January 2015 election. Now in opposition, the former solicitor is the shadow attorney-general and justice and planning spokesman.
National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing Minister Steve Dickson
Once a minister in Mr Newman's cabinet, Mr Dickson served with the LNP in opposition from 2015. In January 2017, Mr Dickson left the LNP and joined One Nation, becoming its state leader less than two weeks later.
Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Minister Jann Stuckey
Ms Stuckey is now a member of the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Multicultural Affairs Minister and Minister Assisting the Premier Glen Elmes
Mr Elmes is now a member of the Parliamentary Crime and Corruption Committee.
0 comments
New User? Sign up