Teena McQueen, a veteran political figure who recently joined One Nation after four decades in the Liberal Party, has died following what her family described as a “short but severe” illness.
The former federal vice president of the Liberal Party died on Wednesday from an undisclosed medical condition, prompting tributes from political colleagues and figures across the conservative movement.
McQueen served as the federal Liberal Party’s vice president from 2017 until 2023.
She was also an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, and attended his victory party in Florida in late 2024 after he secured a second term as US president.
Julian Leeser, the Shadow Minister for Education and Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians, told Daily Mail he was saddened by the news of her death.
“She was part of the colour and movement of the Liberal Party for many years,” he said.
“I send my condolences to her family.”
NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane also remembered McQueen in a post on X, describing her as a “force of nature in Australian politics.”
Former federal Liberal Party vice president Teena McQueen (pictured left with Gina Rinehart centre and Nigel Farage right) was photographed at the Trump victory party in Mar-a-Lago Florida following his re-election
‘I am saddened to hear of the passing of Teena McQueen,’ she said.
‘Teena was a force of nature in Australian politics – passionate, outspoken, and utterly committed to the causes and values she believed in.
‘She dedicated many years to the Liberal Party. My sincere condolences to her family.’
McQueen revealed on an infamous appearance ABC’s Q&A in 2019 how she met the future US president.
She spoke out to defend Trump after Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi called him a racist and ‘a standard bearer for sexism’ live on the ABC show.
McQueen replied that she was probably the only panel member who had spent time with him.
‘You don’t have to spend time with Trump to know what he stands for, be frank,’ Senator Faruqi interrupted, earning a round of applause from a sympathetic audience.
However, McQueen continued undaunted.
McQueen, who recently defected to One Nation, has died after a ‘short but severe’ illness
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‘In 2006, I was a chaperone for Miss Australia Australia’s entrant in the Miss Universe contest when Trump was still running that,’ she said.
‘So, he was there that whole time for week and I mean I had a great deal of time I talked to him about politics.
‘He always said he intended to, you know, to run for president.
‘He was none of those things. He was not racist, not sexist, none of those things.’
That wasn’t McQueen’s only controversial appearance on the show, with the politician accusing the then New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Adern for ‘copying’ John Howard’s gun laws in her very first appearance.
‘We did that years ago, the Liberal party did that years ago with John Howard,’ she said when told Adern had banned semiautomatic weapons within six days of the Christchurch Terror attack.
Current Liberal Party federal president and former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Wednesday he fondly remembered McQueen.
‘With the passing of Teena McQueen I have lost a good friend and the Liberal Party has lost a fine servant,’ he said.
MsQueen revealed on a 2019 episode of ABC show Q&A that she first met Trump when she was a beauty queen chaperone
‘Teena was a long standing branch activist on the NSW central coast, a delegate to federal council and, eventually, a federal vice president of the Liberal Party.
‘At every level she was a consistent advocate for more internal party democracy and for policy in the tradition of Menzies and Howard.
‘She sometimes put loyalty ahead of judgment 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.
‘In recent weeks, her frustrations with the party became public but it was always the cause of better government for Australia that motivated her. I will miss her as will her many friends.’
McQueen was also a Sky News commentator and her fellow panelist Prue MacSween described her as a ‘dynamic, gutsy woman of fun and great character’.
‘She was energised by One Nation and was looking forward to the next chapter,’ she said.
‘She danced at Mar a Lago, sparred with political opponents and was a close confidante of Gina Rinehart.
‘A great loss to her family, particularly her two grandsons whom she spoilt and adored.
‘My sympathy to her loved ones and friends for this sad loss.
‘She made a great contribution to the Liberal Party and this is a big loss to the political scene in this country.’
