Campbell Kevin Thomas Newman (born 12 August 1963) is an Australian former politician who served as the 38th Premier of Queensland and as Lord Mayor of Brisbane. He led the Liberal National Party of Queensland into the 2012 state election and became Premier after the LNP won a majority. His period in state government and earlier mayoralty were both high-profile and sometimes controversial.

Early public career and Brisbane mayoralty

Newman was best known before state politics as the 15th Lord Mayor of Brisbane, serving from 2004 until 2011. As Lord Mayor he oversaw city administration, local services and a range of urban projects. His time in municipal government built his public profile and provided the platform he later used to enter state-level politics.

Move to state politics and premiership

In 2011 Newman was chosen by his party to lead the Liberal National Party of Queensland (LNP) into the 2012 state election despite not being a member of the state parliament at that moment. The LNP won a decisive victory on 26 March 2012 and Newman became Premier of Queensland. He then entered the Legislative Assembly by contesting a seat at the election that followed the party’s win.

Policies and governance

Newman’s government pursued a mixture of cost-control measures, administrative reforms and infrastructure priorities. His administration introduced public sector changes aimed at reducing expenditure and reshaping services; these measures prompted both support for fiscal discipline and criticism from opponents and some community groups. Infrastructure planning and regional development were other recurring themes of his term.

2015 election and aftermath

At the Queensland state election on 31 January 2015 Newman lost his own seat of Ashgrove to his predecessor, Kate Jones. The LNP lost its parliamentary majority and Labor, led by Annastacia Palaszczuk, formed government. Palaszczuk was sworn in as Premier on 14 February 2015, and Newman subsequently announced his intention to retire from state politics.

Legacy and notable facts

  • Held two prominent roles: Lord Mayor of Brisbane and Premier of Queensland.
  • Known for leading a major party into an election while not holding a seat in the state parliament.
  • His policies continue to be cited in debates about public-sector reform and infrastructure priorities.

Newman remains a notable figure in recent Queensland political history because of the scale of his 2012 victory, the brevity of his term as Premier and the unusual circumstance of losing his own electorate while serving as head of government.