Teena McQueen: Liberal stalwart remembered as ‘force of nature’ after dying after short illness
Senior Liberal figures have paid tribute to former party heavyweight Teena McQueen following her death after a short illness.
Former Liberal heavyweight Teena McQueen is being remembered as a ‘force of nature’ and ‘generous spirit’ following her death on Wednesday after battling a severe illness.
Ms McQueen served as the federal Liberal Party vice president from 2017 to 2023 and was a long-serving member of the Liberal Party before defecting to One Nation in May.
Know for conservative commentary, she regularly appeared on Sky News and spent time with Gina Rinehart at US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Former prime minister and current Liberal president Tony Abbott said he had lost a good friend.
“She sometimes put loyalty ahead of judgement but it was typical of Teena’s large and generous spirit that she would confide in others her plans and then take guidance on their merits,” he said on social media.
“In recent weeks, her frustrations with the party became public but it was always the cause of better government for Australia that motivated her.”
NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane described Ms McQueen as a “force of nature in Australian politics” in a tribute posted to X.
Ms McQueen revealed in May that she felt the Liberal Party’s demise began when Mr Abbott lost his position as prime minister.
She was a divisive political character even within Liberal ranks.
In 2022, then-senator Simon Birmingham branded her position as the party’s vice president as untenable when she declared it was good “lefties” had left the party.
She reportedly told colleagues in a meeting in 2021 that she would “kill to be sexually harassed”, later saying it was a throwaway line because when women reached her age, they didn’t have to worry about being sexually assaulted.
