Former mayor stands in Qld by-election

Former Toowoomba mayor Di Thorley will stand as an independent in the coming Toowoomba South by-election.

Ms Thorley, who served as mayor over two terms from 2000 to 2008, will contest the Darling Downs-based state seat after the resignation of Liberal National Party MP John McVeigh.

Mr McVeigh has withdrawn from state parliament after becoming the LNP candidate to replace the retiring Ian Macfarlane for the federal seat of Groom.

David Janetzki on Saturday won an LNP preselection battle with Sam Wright to stand for Toowoomba South.

The electorate's voters will be forced to go to the polls twice in two weeks after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Tuesday a July 16 by-election - a fortnight after the July 2 federal poll.

"I understand the frustrations of the people of the Toowoomba South when it comes to voting on all three levels of government in the space of four months," she said, also referring to the March council elections.

"But the decision of Mr McVeigh to vacate the seat and run for a federal seat means this is unavoidable."