LNP's Rennick under pressure ahead of Qld preselection

An anti-vax Liberal senator for Queensland could lose his chance of holding onto his seat, with plans within the party to oust him from preselection. 

Gerard Rennick is set to face a challenge from former federal Young Liberals vice president turned consultant Nelson Savanh.

Senator Rennick gained notoriety during the pandemic for questioning the efficacy of vaccines and mandates, leading many in his party to distance themselves from his stance and comments.

But his withholding of support from the government in the Senate over vaccine mandates especially angered his colleagues and party members.

Senator Rennick insists he has been standing up for Liberal values of free choice and liberty.

Candidates and party members are forbidden from speaking publicly about preselection under party rules. 

Nominations closed on Friday with the candidates set to be announced after the vetting process.

A vote will then take place in the first week of July to finalise the ticket ahead of the next federal election, which is to be held by 2025.

Support within the state's delegates who select the candidates is believed to be firming behind Mr Savanh, which could place him in third spot on the ticket.

Incumbent senator Paul Scarr could take the top spot ahead of colleague Susan McDonald.

Under the Liberal National Party agreement, first spot goes to a Liberal and the second to a National and alternating thereafter. 

The final three spots on the ticket are seen as unwinnable.

Getting elected from third position is far from guaranteed after former LNP senator and assistant minister Amanda Stoker lost her seat to the Greens at the federal election. 

Although another scalping of a LNP senator by the minor party is made harder by the fact Greens senator Larissa Waters is up for re-election, meaning the party would need to pick up two seats in the six-seat race.

Despite an increased vote at the last election, the Greens got less than a single quota in Queensland and made it over the line with preference flows.

The Liberals suffered a primary swing of almost 3.7 per cent in the state while Labor picked up 2.1 per cent and the Greens 2.45 per cent.

One Nation's vote also went backwards by almost 2.9 per cent.