The federal leader of the Palmer United Party Professor Clive Palmer has announced the Queensland Senate team to stand for the party at the September 14 federal election.
Professor Palmer said the Queensland team would be headed by rugby league great Glenn Lazarus, the only player in the history of the National Rugby League to have won premierships with three different clubs.
He said joining Mr Lazarus on the Palmer United Party Queensland Senate team will be veteran Brisbane barrister and former crown prosecutor Harry Fong and former A-League football goalkeeper Scott Higgins.
Mr Lazarus, 47, won premierships with Canberra, Brisbane and the Melbourne Storm and played 22 State of Origin matches for NSW and 21 Tests for Australia. He has spent most of the past two decades in Brisbane with his wife Tess and their three children.
“Glenn Lazarus leads a powerful team for the Palmer United Party in Queensland that will certainly take some stopping at the September election,” Professor Palmer said.
“Not only was Glenn one of the greatest front rowers in the history of the game and a premiership captain, but he is a wonderful family man, community leader and business operator.
“Glenn has also strongly supported many charities and donated his time to organisations such as Queensland’s State Emergency Service as well as being heavily involved in rugby league at a grassroots level.
“He will be joined on our Senate ticket by barrister Harry Fong, who has more than 30 years of experience in criminal and civil law as well as representing major corporations in Australia, Britain and Hong Kong.
“The third member of the Queensland Senate team is Scott Higgins, a former A-League goalkeeper and skills coach who during his decade-long professional career played in Australia, Europe and the Middle East.”
Professor Palmer plans to field Palmer United Party candidates in House of Representative seats nationwide and a Senate team in each state and territory at the September election.
The federal leader of the Palmer United Party will also stand as a candidate for the party in the Sunshine Coast lower house seat of Fairfax.
Mr Lazarus said he believed Professor Palmer was an inspirational leader who could unite and advance Australia with common sense policies.
“I am standing to help deliver the vision of the Palmer United Party for all Australians,”’ Mr Lazarus said.
Mr Lazarus said Professor Palmer was an outstanding choice to be the country’s next Prime Minister.
“Right now the nation as a whole desperately needs an alternative to the tired and clueless government of Julia Gillard and the Tony Abbott-led Opposition, which has virtually the same policies as Labor,” he said.
“We need someone with integrity and expertise that can lead us out of this economic crisis and create community wealth and jobs. It’s time for a change to Clive Palmer and the Palmer United Party.”