One Nation defector, former Liberal Party vice president dies
Teena McQueen, the former Liberal Party deputy leader who recently left One Nation, has died.
McQueen, who was described as “passionate about politics” and a “force of nature”, died on Wednesday after battling a brief illness.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said McQueen was a “vibrant, energetic, fun-loving woman and a pleasure to be around.”
“I am deeply saddened by his passing,” Hanson said in a statement posted on social media Wednesday night.
“We were on the same page about Australia and conservative values, but completely opposite pages about cooking, sewing and gardening. “I offer my deepest condolences to Teena’s family.
“I lost a dear friend shortly after I found her. Teena’s support was appreciated and valued. I will continue the fight she is about to join.”
McQueen served as Liberal Party deputy leader from 2017 to 2023, after which Liberal members blocked the far-right figure from being re-elected to the federal executive branch.
Last month, McQueen announced he was joining One Nation, telling Sky News that staying in the Liberal Party would be like “banging my head against the wall”.
Referring to McQueen’s latest political shift, former prime minister Tony Abbott said his “frustrations with the party were made public, but what motivated him was always the cause of a better government for Australia”.
“I will miss him, as will many of his friends,” he said.
Political colleague Barnaby Joyce paid tribute, saying he was shocked to hear his “dear friend” had died.
“I just spent a week with Teena about a month ago and I never noticed she was sick,” Joyce said.
“Teena devoted herself to her nation with her passion for politics. Not as a politician, but as unpaid management of the voluntary party structure. Conversations with Teena were often about policies, our nation and the talents of politicians. This was her territory until the end.
“I offer my deepest condolences to his family and send my eternal love to this dear friend.”
NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane said she was saddened by McQueen’s death.
“Teena was a force of nature in Australian politics, passionate, outspoken and fiercely committed to the causes and values she believed in,” Sloane said. “He devoted years to the Liberal Party. I offer my sincere condolences to his family.”
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Brittany Busch is the federal politics correspondent for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
