For Campbell Newman to become Premier he must first defeat Minister for the Environment Kate Jones in the seat of Ashgrove.

Ms Jones today fired her first broadside in defence of her job by asking the parliamentary Opposition leader if under Campbell Newman the LNP would continue to oppose the 2006 reduction of tree clearing.

“Campbell Newman will try to pretend that they have new policies on the environment, but they still stand by broadscale land clearing, and I will make sure that every voter in Queensland knows it,” she said.

In 2006 the government put in place a ban on broadside tree clearing which Ms Jones said today had reduced tree clearing by 48 percent in Queensland.

“Last week in Queensland Country Life the honourable Leader of the Opposition …. said “the LNP standpoint on these issues will not change,” Ms Jones said.

“The people of Queensland deserve to know where the new LNP leader stands on tree clearing laws. Does he support the ban that the LNP voted against in this Parliament and that its members continue to advocate in their communities?”

A response was sought from Mr Newman who is currently in Cairns but his media advisor said he “was flat out”, and that “all policies need to be worked through and negotiated over the next few weeks.” There was no response from Mr Seeney.