Lawrence Springborg represents a new generation of Queensland leaders with youth, energy and fresh ideas on his side.
Lawrence’s own background is steeped in the pioneering spirit that built this great state. In the 1880s the Springborg family migrated from Denmark and eventually settled on Queensland’s Darling Downs.
"My great grandfather was a carpenter who helped build the stations and bridges on the railway-line from New South Wales to Queensland," Lawrence recounts. "The desire to build our state obviously runs in the family blood because with the support of Queenslanders I want to build the Queensland of the future: one that we can all be proud of".
Born in 1968, Lawrence was brought up on the family’s small mixed farming property where he and wife Linda live today with their four school-aged children. "Having four young kids really helps focus your mind on the type of Queensland you want for their future", he says.
Lawrence recently celebrated his fortieth birthday making him one of the most contemporary leaders in our State’s history.
When he was just twenty-one Lawrence became the youngest MP ever in Queensland and at twenty-nine became the youngest Cabinet Minister when he was charged with overseeing and administering the multi-billion dollar Natural Resources portfolio.
His experience as a Cabinet Minister helped shape the type of leader he is today.
Lawrence was determined to be a leader with new ideas and solutions and not someone that was simply critical of failing government. As a result, Lawrence has become the most proactive opposition leader in Queensland’s history. Under his leadership there have been more private members bills (ie. legislation introduced to State Parliament from non-Government members) than under any other leader at any other time in our history.
Building a better Queensland...
Lawrence and his team have overseen a string of private members bills aimed at creating safer communities, creating greener communities and creating more productive communities.
Lawrence and his team have introduced a range of bills aimed at everything from creating Drug Courts in Queensland to stop drug induced crime; mandating ethanol in our fuel as a part of his drive for a clean and green Queensland; protecting our police, teachers and nurses with financial protection from loss or damage to their property; creating a more accepting society with tough laws for those who racially abuse others; and protecting our children and the vulnerable with a string of proposed legislation aimed at giving police the resources to catch offenders and authorities the power to keep offenders off our streets.
