Colin Boyce

Before becoming the state member for Callide, Boyce served as a councillor on Taroom Shire Council from 2005 until 2008.{{cite web |url=https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/members/current/list/MemberDetails?ID=819683359|title=Member Details: Mr Colin Boyce|author= |date= |website=Queensland Parliament|publisher=Queensland Government|access-date=14 July 2021|quote=}} In 2008, he unsuccessfully attempted to be elected as the Division 6 candidate on Banana Shire Council.{{cite news|last=Thorpe|first=Andrew|date=22 June 2017|title=LNP candidate no novice at the ballot box |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/gladstone/lnp-candidate-no-novice-at-the-ballot-box/news-story/5b985094772cfb6bd61a978ce7e52e61|work=The Observer|publisher=News Corp Australia|location= |access-date=14 July 2021}} However, at a 2017 by-election, his wife Terri Boyce was elected to represent the same division.

Boyce is a qualified boilermaker and farmer who has been described as "an old-style Queensland National".{{cite news |last=McCutcheon|first=Peter|date=13 August 2020|title=Analysis: Why an LNP backbencher crossing the floor in Parliament is nothing for Labor to gloat over|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-13/lnp-backbencher-crossing-floor-boyce-callide-labor-problem/12552032|work=ABC News |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|location= |access-date=14 July 2021}}

Boyce was elected as the member for Callide in the 2017 state election.

In August 2020, he attracted some media attention when he crossed the floor and voted against his own party, not offering his support for a bill to appoint a special commissioner to oversee mine rehabilitation.

In January 2021 Boyce announced he would seek LNP preselection for the federal Division of Flynn to contest the 2022 federal election, following the retirement of Ken O'Dowd.{{cite news|url=https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/7075909/colin-boyce-to-seek-flynn-pre-selection/|title=Callide MP Colin Boyce puts hand up for LNP Flynn pre-selection|first=Sally|last=Gall|newspaper=Queensland Country Life|publisher=Australian Community Media|date=5 January 2021|access-date=10 February 2021}} Boyce subsequently won pre-selection and was officially announced as the LNP's candidate for Flynn on 13 July 2021 while visiting the Gladstone Power Station with Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, Senator Matt Canavan and outgoing Flynn MP Ken O'Dowd.{{cite news |last=Harden|first=Ben|date=13 July 2021|title=Callide MP Colin Boyce announced as LNP federal candidate for Flynn electorate|url=https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/7338373/federal-lnp-announce-colin-boyce-as-flynn-candidate/|work=Queensland Country Life|publisher=Australian Community Media|location= |access-date=30 March 2022}}

Boyce officially resigned from his position as the state member for Callide in Queensland Parliament on 29 March 2022.{{cite news |last=Dennien|first=Matt|date=29 March 2022|title=Qld MP offers early resignation ahead of federal tilt as budget looms |url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/qld-mp-offers-early-resignation-ahead-of-federal-tilt-as-budget-looms-20220329-p5a8ve.html?ref=rss|work=Brisbane Times|publisher=Nine Entertainment|location= |access-date=30 March 2022}} Although Boyce wasn't required to resign until the federal election was officially called, he decided to do so to focus on his bid to win the Federal seat of Flynn, beginning by promoting the Australian federal budget which was handed down the night of his resignation from state parliament. Boyce's decision to resign early drew criticism from Robbie Katter who said Boyce had missed the chance to side with the Katter's Australian Party to support their bill to wind back Great Barrier Reef regulations. His resignation triggered the 2022 Callide state by-election, which Queensland speaker Curtis Pitt announced would be held on 18 June 2022.{{cite news |last=Jones|first=Nilsson|date=24 May 2022|title=Voters in Queensland state electorate of Callide return to polls on June 18 after Speaker Curtis Pitt declares by-election date|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/rockhampton/voters-in-queensland-state-electorate-of-callide-return-to-polls-on-june-18-after-speaker-curtis-pitt-declares-byelection-date/news-story/b7122c7202e63d94673aa61e84f10409|url-access=subscription|work=The Observer|publisher=News Corp Australia|location= |access-date=3 June 2022}}

During his campaign to be elected as the member for Flynn, Boyce attracted media attention after making comments which appeared to question the Morrison government's plan to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 by describing it as "flexible" with "wiggle room".{{cite news|last=Gould|first=Courtney|date=25 April 2022|title=LNP candidate Colin Boyce says net-zero plan is not set in stone|url=https://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/lnp-candidate-colin-boyce-says-netzero-plan-is-not-set-in-stone/news-story/8c2e7011e6999cd4597e25c2c7f994eb|work=news.com.au|publisher=News Corp Australia|location= |access-date=3 June 2022}}{{cite news |last=Murphy|first=Katharine|date=25 April 2022|title=Coalition candidate says net zero by 2050 is a ‘flexible plan that leaves us wiggle room’|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/25/coalition-candidate-says-net-zero-by-2050-is-a-flexible-plan-that-leaves-us-wiggle-room|work=The Guardian|publisher=Guardian Media Group|location= |access-date=3 June 2022}}{{cite news|last=Atkin|first=Michael|date=12 May 2022|title=Voters in Flynn are in the middle of the climate change wars|url=https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/voters-in-flynn-are-in-the-middle-of-the-climate/13879616|work=7.30|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|location= |access-date=3 June 2022}}

Boyce was successful in his election to federal parliament in the election in May 2022, achieving a narrow victory over Labor candidate Matt Burnett.{{cite news |last=Jones|first=Nilsson|last2=Plane|first2=Melanie|date=23 May 2022|title=Flynn candidate Matt Burnett calls to congratulate Colin Boyce|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/rockhampton/federal-election-2022-flynn-candidates-colin-boyce-and-matt-burnett-waiting-until-aec-call-electorate/news-story/fe5e17289b231afe9ffbf71bcb867842|url-access=subscription|work=The Morning Bulletin|publisher=News Corp Australia|location= |access-date=3 June 2022}}

Following his election to federal parliament, Boyce was criticised by Queensland resources minister Scott Stewart who said during parliamentary question time on 24 May 2022 that Boyce had made it clear that he was "an LNP climate change denier."{{cite news |last=Smee|first=Ben|date=24 May 2022|title=Queensland’s newest LNP MP sparks glee – from his former state politics opponents|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/24/queenslands-newest-lnp-mp-sparks-glee-from-his-former-state-politics-opponents|work=The Guardian|location= |access-date=3 June 2022}} This was followed by an article in The Guardian two days later which revealed Boyce was a foundation member of The Saltbush Club, and in 2019 had been a signatory to an international statement which claimed there was no climate emergency.{{cite news |last=Smee|first=Ben|date=26 May 2022|title=New Coalition MP was founding member of club promoting climate science denial|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/26/new-coalition-mp-was-founding-member-of-club-promoting-climate-science-denial|work=The Guardian|location= |access-date=3 June 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://saltbushclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/saltbush-founding-members.pdf|title=Our Founding Members|author= |date=|website=The Saltbush Club|publisher= |access-date=3 June 2022|quote=}}

Boyce is opposed to net-zero emissions, and has been criticised as a climate sceptic.{{Cite news |last=Smee |first=Ben |date=2022-05-25 |title=New Coalition MP was founding member of club promoting climate science denial |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/26/new-coalition-mp-was-founding-member-of-club-promoting-climate-science-denial |access-date=2024-04-22 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Boyce is a founding member of the Saltbush Club, a group that promotes climate change denial.{{Cite news |last=Smee |first=Ben |date=2022-05-25 |title=New Coalition MP was founding member of club promoting climate science denial |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/26/new-coalition-mp-was-founding-member-of-club-promoting-climate-science-denial |access-date=2024-04-22 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/members/current/list/MemberDetails?ID=819683359 Parliamentary Profile]
• {{Commons category-inline}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|au}}

{{s-bef|before=Ken O'Dowd}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member for Flynn|years=2022–present}}

{{s-inc}}

{{s-par|au-qld}}

{{s-bef|before=Jeff Seeney}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member for Callide|years=2017–2022}}

{{s-aft|after=Bryson Head}}

{{s-end}}

{{Current Queensland Representatives}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boyce, Colin}}

Category:1962 births

Category:Living people

Category:Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly

Category:Liberal National Party of Queensland politicians

Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives

Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Flynn

Category:Liberal National Party of Queensland members of the Parliament of Australia

Category:National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia

Category:Australian MPs 2022–2025