Can someone from Queensland or Northern Territory be the Coalition's candidate for Prime Minister?

Question

In Australia, the main centre-right block is a coalition of four parties, known collectively as "The Coalition":

• Liberal Party, whose leader typically becomes Prime Minister in a Coalition government
• The Nationals, whose leader typically becomes Deputy Prime Minister in a Coalition government
• Liberal National Party, which is the only Coalition party that runs in Queensland
• Country Liberal Party, which is the only Coalition party that runs in the Northern Territory

Given that it's the Liberal Leader who is typically the Coalition's candidate for Prime Minister, can someone running for the Coalition in a seat where the Liberal Party does not run (i.e. Queensland or the Northern Territory) become Prime Minister?

Answer 1

Yes. Peter Dutton, a member of the LNP, has become the Leader of the Opposition.

The answer to this question has been definitively resolved by the results of the recent (2022) election. Peter Dutton, a member of the LNP, has been announced as having become the new Leader of the Opposition, after the Coalition lost the election.

If he retains this position for the next three years without being deposed by intraparty political struggles, then he will be their candidate for the position of Prime Minister.

Answer 2

This question answers itself.

" it's the Liberal Leader who is typically the Coalition's candidate for Prime Minister"

Just because it is typical doesn't mean that it must always be so. This is an internal decision for the Coalition to make that it can change as it sees fit in the future if the circumstances warrant it.