John-Paul Langbroek

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix = The Honourable

|name = John-Paul Langbroek

|honorific-suffix = MP

|image = John-Paul Langbroek 2021 (cropped).jpg

|caption = Langbroek in 2021

|office = Minister for Education and Minister for the Arts

|term_start = 1 November 2024

|term_end =

|leader = David Crisafulli

|predecessor = Di Farmer {{small|(Education)}}
Leeanne Enoch {{small|(Arts)}}

|successor =

|office1 = Shadow Minister for Seniors, Communities and Disability Services
Shadow Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnership

|term_start1 = 16 November 2020

|term_end1 = 28 October 2024

|leader1 = David Crisafulli

|predecessor1 = Christian Rowan

|successor1 = Leeanne Enoch

|office2 = Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs

|term_start2 = 15 December 2017

|term_end2 = 28 October 2024

|leader2 = Deb Frecklington
David Crisafulli

|predecessor2 = Steve Minnikin

|successor2 = Charis Mullen{{Collapsed infobox section begin|Shadow cabinet posts (2015–2020)|titlestyle=background-color:#eee}}

|office3 = Shadow Minister for Sport and Racing

|term_start3 = 15 December 2017

|term_end3 = 16 November 2020

|leader3 = Tim Nicholls
Deb Frecklington

|predecessor3 = Jon Krause

|successor3 = Tim Mander

|office4 = Shadow Minister for Health and Ambulance Services

|term_start4 = 10 May 2016

|term_end4 = 15 December 2017

|leader4 = Tim Nicholls
Deb Frecklington

|predecessor4 = Mark McArdle (Health)
Jarrod Bleijie (Ambulance Services)

|successor4 = Ros Bates

|office5 = Shadow Minister for Commonwealth Games

|term_start5 = 20 February 2015

|term_end5 = 13 August 2019

|leader5 = Lawrence Springborg
Tim Nicholls
Deb Frecklington

|predecessor5 = Tim Mulherin

|successor5 = Position abolished

|office6 = Shadow Treasurer of Queensland

|term_start6 = 20 February 2015

|term_end6 = 6 May 2016

|leader6 = Lawrence Springborg

|predecessor6 = Curtis Pitt

|successor6 = Scott Emerson{{Collapsed infobox section end}}

|office7 = Deputy Leader of the Opposition of Queensland
Deputy Leader of the Liberal National Party

|term_start7 = 14 February 2015

|term_end7 = 6 May 2016

|leader7 = Lawrence Springborg

|predecessor7 = Tim Mulherin (Opposition)
Jeff Seeney (LNP)

|successor7 = Deb Frecklington

|office8 = Minister for Education, Training and Employment of Queensland

|term_start8 = 3 April 2012

|term_end8 = 14 February 2015

|premier8 = Campbell Newman

|predecessor8 = Cameron Dick (Education)
Stirling Hinchliffe (Employment)

|successor8 = Kate Jones (Education)
Yvette D'Ath (Training)
Curtis Pitt (Employment){{Collapsed infobox section begin|Shadow cabinet posts (2011–2012)|titlestyle=background-color:#eee}}

|office9 = Shadow Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services

|term_start9 = 11 April 2011

|term_end9 = 19 February 2012

|leader9 = Campbell Newman

|predecessor9 = Glen Elmes

|successor9 = Bill Byrne{{Collapsed infobox section end}}

|office10 = Leader of the Opposition of Queensland
Leader of the Liberal National Party

|term_start10 = 2 April 2009

|term_end10 = 22 March 2011

|deputy10 = Lawrence Springborg

|predecessor10 = Lawrence Springborg

|successor10 = Jeff Seeney (Opposition)
Campbell Newman (LNP)

|office11 = Manager of Opposition Business in Queensland

|term_start11 = 30 September 2008

|term_end11 = 2 April 2009

|leader11 = Lawrence Springborg

|predecessor11 = Stuart Copeland

|successor11 = Jeff Seeney{{Collapsed infobox section begin|Shadow cabinet posts (2005–2009)|titlestyle=background-color:#eee}}

|office12 = Shadow Minister for Education and Skills

|term_start12 = 12 August 2008

|term_end12 = 2 April 2009

|leader12 = Lawrence Springborg

|predecessor12 = Stuart Copeland

|successor12 = Bruce Flegg

|office13 = Shadow Minister for Health

|term_start13 = 21 September 2006

|term_end13 = 12 August 2008

|leader13 = Jeff Seeney
Lawrence Springborg

|predecessor13 = Bruce Flegg

|successor13 = Mark McArdle

|office14 = Shadow Minister for Employment and Training

|term_start14 = 8 August 2006

|term_end14 = 21 September 2006

|leader14 = Lawrence Springborg

|predecessor14 = Ray Hopper

|successor14 = Fiona Simpson

|office15 = Shadow Minister for Public Works and Housing

|term_start15 = 28 September 2005

|term_end15 = 8 August 2006

|leader15 = Lawrence Springborg

|predecessor15 = Ray Hopper

|successor15 = Terry Rogers{{Collapsed infobox section end}}

|constituency_MP16 = Surfers Paradise

|parliament16 = Queensland

|term_start16 = 7 February 2004

|term_end16 =

|predecessor16 = Lex Bell

|successor16 =

|majority16 = 16.2% (2020)

|birth_name = John-Paul Honoré Langbroek

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1961|1|31}}

|birth_place = Assen, Netherlands

|residence = Gold Coast, Queensland

|party = Liberal National Party

|otherparty = Liberal Party

|spouse = Stacey Langbroek

|children = 3

|nickname = JP

|relations = Kate Langbroek (sister)

|signature = John-Paul Langbroek signature 2013.svg

}}

John-Paul Honoré Langbroek (born 31 January 1961) is an Australian politician who has been a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland representing the centre-right Liberal Party and its successor, the centre-right Liberal National Party, in the seat of Surfers Paradise since 2004. He was Leader of the Opposition and parliamentary leader of the LNP from 2009 to 2011—the first person from the Liberal side of the merger to hold the post. He was a minister in the Newman government before its defeat at the 2015 state election.

Early life

Langbroek was born in Assen in the Netherlands and moved to Brisbane as a one-year-old in 1962.{{Cite news |date=2022-12-07|title=Langbroek – John-Paul: politician, Kate: comedian, radio and television presenter|work=Dutch Australian Culture Centre |url=https://dutchaustralianculturalcentre.com.au/archive/dutch-australian-history/dutch-migration/john-paul-honore-langbroek-queensland-politician/ |access-date=2023-10-25}} His father is Dutch and his mother is American with Jamaican ancestry.{{Cite news |date=2013-11-30|title=Kate Langbroek plans to hit snooze after the end of her breakfast radio wake-up call |work=Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/kate-langbroek-plans-to-hit-snooze-after-the-end-of-her-breakfast-radio-wakeup-call/news-story/d2910be57047dc7bb8cd389c25fd81fb |access-date=2019-10-14}} John-Paul and his sister, Melbourne-based media personality Kate Langbroek, grew up as the only two children of Jehovah's Witnesses.{{Cite news |date=2009-09-25|title=Is John-Paul Langbroek too nice to win in Queensland?|work=Sydney Morning Herald |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/is-johnpaul-langbroek-too-nice-to-win-in-queensland-20090925-g53u.html |access-date=2024-11-12}} The family travelled around rural Queensland where Langbroek Sr worked at various schools. John-Paul began his schooling at Burleigh Heads State School on the Gold Coast and graduated from Sunnybank State High School{{Cite news |date=2018-08-23|title=Speech By John-Paul Langbroek - MEMBER FOR SURFERS PARADISE|work=Queensland Parliament |url=https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/speeches/spk2018/John_Paul_Langbroek-Surfers%20Paradise-20180823-914174510754.pdf |access-date=2021-02-18}} before studying Dentistry at the University of Queensland in the 1980s.{{Cite news |date=2018-08-23|title=Meet The Villager - John-Paul Langbroek|work=Destination Mermaid Beach |url=https://destinationmainbeach.com.au/jp-the-mp-langbroek/ |access-date=2024-11-23}}

Early career

A graduate of Sunnybank State High School, he went on to study at the University of Queensland, receiving an honours degree in dental science.{{Cite web |title=Meet John-Paul |url=http://jplangbroek.com/pages/meet-john-paul.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211123904/http://jplangbroek.com/pages/meet-john-paul.php |archive-date=11 December 2008 |website=John Paul Langbroek}} At university he showed no early sign of an interest in politics, describing his student days at the University of Queensland as being "toga parties, Lacoste shirts and university japes".{{cite web |author=Andrew Fraser and Sean Parnell |url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25281346-5013945,00.html |title=Dentist in the chair |publisher=The Australian |date=3 April 2009 |access-date=3 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090406203103/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25281346-5013945,00.html |archive-date=6 April 2009 |df=dmy-all }}

He finished his degree in 1983 and departed for London where he met his wife Stacey.

Political career

Langbroek entered politics in 2001 when he stood as the Liberal candidate in the May 2001 by-election for Surfers Paradise. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of the previous member, former National Party Premier Rob Borbidge who had just led the Coalition to a landslide defeat in the general election earlier in 2001. Due to voter anger at being forced to the polls for the second time in three months, the National vote tumbled to eight percent. This left Langbroek far short of the support he needed to overtake Gold Coast councillor and former mayor Lex Bell, who won the seat as an independent. Langbroek stood again in Surfers Paradise at the 2004 state election and won convincingly with Bell being pushed into third place. He has held the seat comfortably ever since, and as of the 2017 election sits on a majority of 19.8 percent, making Surfers Paradise the safest LNP seat in the chamber.

=Opposition (2005–09)=

As an MP he had served in the opposition shadow ministry for a number of years. He has held various shadow portfolios, including health, public works, mines and energy and immediately before his ascension to the leadership he has served as Shadow Minister for Education and Skills and Shadow Minister for the Arts from 12 August 2008.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/legislativeAssembly/documents/memberBio/LangbroekJohn-Paul.htm |title=John-Paul Langbroek Biography |publisher=Parliament.qld.gov.au |access-date=3 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110406012803/http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/legislativeAssembly/documents/memberBio/LangbroekJohn-Paul.htm |archive-date= 6 April 2011 }}

=Leader of the opposition (2009–11)=

Langbroek was elected leader of the LNP following the 2009 state election after the LNP's first leader, Lawrence Springborg, announced his retirement. Langbroek named Springborg as his deputy.{{cite web |author=Rosemary Odgers and Steven Wardill |url=http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25279015-3102,00.html |title=New LNP leader John Paul Langbroek warns dissidents |publisher=News.com.au |date=3 April 2009 |access-date=3 February 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090405083409/http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25279015-3102,00.html |archive-date=5 April 2009 |df=dmy-all }} Langbroek's election marked the first time in 84 years that the non-Labor side in Queensland had been led by someone aligned federally with the Liberals or their predecessors. The Nationals have historically been the stronger non-Labor party in the state, and had been the dominant partner in the non-Labor Coalition from 1925 until the formation of the LNP in 2008.

Polling for much of 2009 and 2010 showed the LNP ahead of Labor on the two-party vote, and Langbroek consistently led incumbent Labor Premier Anna Bligh as preferred premier. However, after Labor's numbers rebounded in the wake of the Queensland floods, Langbroek came under growing pressure from the LNP's organisational wing to stand down.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RtI6W35y8c Newman's bid for leadership] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406152929/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RtI6W35y8c |date=6 April 2017 }}. 7.30 (ABC News), 22 March 2011. According to Nine News Queensland's Spencer Jolly, LNP president Bruce McIver was trying to engineer a by-election to get Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman, also from the Liberal side of the merger, elected to the legislature so Newman could challenge Langbroek for the LNP leadership.[https://archive.today/20120716194152/http://video.au.msn.com/watch/video/knives-out-for-langbroek/x0izpk0 Knives out for Langbroek]. Nine News Queensland, 17 March 2011.

In 2010, Langbroek as LNP leader opposed the labor government push for state Constitutional recognition of Aboriginal Australians. Saying it was wrong to elevate recognition of one ethnic group within the Queensland community to the exclusion of all others. Langbroek also wanted a Referendum on the issue.{{cite web | url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/recognising-indigenous-people-in-qld-preamble-divisive-20100223-p0ig.html | title=Recognising indigenous people in QLD preamble 'divisive' | date=23 February 2010 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-02-23/constitutional-preamble-opposed-by-indigenous/341300 | title=Constitutional preamble opposed by Indigenous leaders and Opposition | work=ABC News | date=23 February 2010 }}

On 22 March 2011, Newman announced he would be seeking pre-selection for the seat of Ashgrove, and would challenge for the LNP leadership if successful. Later that day, Langbroek and Springborg announced their resignations as leader and deputy leader, respectively.[http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/brisbane-lord-mayor-campbell-newman-to-enter-state-politics-lnp-john-paul-langbroek-leadership-crisis/story-e6freoof-1226025692667 LNP leader John-Paul Langbroek quits as Campbell Newman announces he will enter state politics] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426025751/http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/brisbane-lord-mayor-campbell-newman-to-enter-state-politics-lnp-john-paul-langbroek-leadership-crisis/story-e6freoof-1226025692667 |date=26 April 2012 }}, Courier Mail, 22 March 2011. While a February poll showed the LNP with 55 percent two-party support—enough to make Langbroek premier—internal Coalition polling suggested that under Newman, the LNP would win government "in a canter".[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeIDiJTN1VU Campbell Newman's Queensland coup] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617231555/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeIDiJTN1VU |date=17 June 2016 }}. 6PM with George Negus (Ten News), 22 March 2011. As late as the previous day, Langbroek had insisted that he would not resign, and even demanded that McIver and the rest of the organisational wing either back down from their attempts to push him out or resign themselves. He appeared to have the support of most of the party room as well. However, within hours of Newman's announcement, Langbroek gave way.

=Newman frontbencher (2011–15)=

Newman appointed Langbroek Shadow Police Minister in his Shadow Cabinet.{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Documents/TableOffice/TabledPapers/2011/5311T4313.pdf |title=Opposition Appointments to the Queensland Parliament as of 11 April 2011 |access-date=21 March 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113213106/http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Documents/TableOffice/TabledPapers/2011/5311T4313.pdf |archive-date=13 January 2016 |df=dmy-all }}

After the LNP landslide in the 2012 election, Langbroek was made Minister for Education, Training and Employment in the Newman Ministry.

=Post Newman (2015–)=

Following Newman government's defeat in the 2015 election, Langbroek became Deputy leader of the LNP and Deputy Leader of the Opposition. He left the position after Lawrence Springborg lost the leadership to Tim Nicholls with Deb Frecklington replacing Langbroek in his position as deputy leader.{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-06/tim-nicholls-wins-lnp-leadership-spill-over-lawrence-springborg/7389500|title=Tim Nicholls wins LNP leadership spill against Lawrence Springborg|date=6 May 2017|work=ABC News|access-date=8 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108062133/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-06/tim-nicholls-wins-lnp-leadership-spill-over-lawrence-springborg/7389500|archive-date=8 November 2017|url-status=live}}

He has remained on the opposition frontbench under Nicholls, Frecklington and Crisafulli.

After Nicholls stood down as leader after the 2017 election, Langbroek stood for the LNP leadership again finishing second to Frecklington with 10 votes to her 25, with 3 for Mark Robinson.{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/deb-frecklington-to-lead-lnp-tim-mander-deputy/news-story/05ae4c282cb1e2ee7b1a16750619063d|title=Deb Frecklington to lead LNP, Tim Mander deputy|work=Australian|date=12 December 2017|url-access=subscription }}

Personal life

Langbroek is married and has three children. Although he has not shown a clear rejection of his parents' religion (Jehovah's Witnesses), he does not discuss the topic at length.

He has expressed the pain of having a relative with motor neurone disease. Describing the disease as having "destroyed his family", causing his 58-year-old brother-in-law to need constant nursing and causing potentially fatal weight loss.{{cite web |url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/qld-news/lnp-leader-keen-to-put-bite-on-labor-20090402-9kq6.html |title=LNP leader John-Paul Langbroek keen to bite on Labor |publisher=Brisbanetimes.com.au |date=2 April 2009 |access-date=3 February 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090403052950/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/qld-news/lnp-leader-keen-to-put-bite-on-labor-20090402-9kq6.html |archive-date=3 April 2009 |df=dmy-all }}

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20090213215800/http://jplangbroek.com/ Official Website]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20080811023902/http://www.lnp.org.au/lnp-article/our-team/john-paul-langbroek-member-for-surfer-paradise/300.html Liberal National Party Page for John-Paul Langbroek]

{{s-ttl|title=Deputy Leader of the Opposition of Queensland|years=2015–2016}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Education of Queensland|years=2012–2015}}

{{s-bef|before=Stirling Hinchliffe|as=Minister for Employment and Skills}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Training and Employment of Queensland|years=2012–2015}}

{{s-ttl|title=Leader of the Opposition of Queensland|years=2009–2011}}