John Wharton says leadership failed ‘piss poor’ LNP

THE LNP failed to live up to expectations in the Queensland election and inland mayor John Wharton says he can explain why.

Mayor of Richmond, Queensland John Wharton

INLAND mayor John Wharton has lashed out at the LNP’s dismal state election performance, saying the party needed an urgent leadership review.

Richmond Mayor Cr Wharton yesterday said that with just two seats left north of Bundaberg, the LNP needed a leadership injection at the organisational and parliamentary levels. He said the LNP had failed to be competitive against Labor during the campaign.

“They just sat there waiting for the ALP to make a mistake. They need some big changes at the top. The deputy, Deb Frecklington, is a nice lady but she didn’t have an impact on the campaign,” he said.

Cr Wharton said the LNP’s poor performance in opposition resulted in more power and more of the public’s focus flowing to the crossbenches. He said this was why Katter’s Australian Party had so much influence with the Palaszczuk Government.

“The LNP needs a shake-up. Tim Nicholls needs to go and the (executive) leadership has to go,” he said.

Cr Wharton said leading into the November 25 election, the Palaszczuk Government had done some “good work” in the regions. One example was the Works for Queensland program for local governments.

He said the only thing Labor didn’t do was advance inland water programs and adopt a reasonable vegetation management policy.

“The LNP was talking about bringing back the Royalties for Regions Queensland which didn’t work out all that well last time it was tried,” he said.

Cr Wharton said the party should look at electing Whitsunday MP Jason Costigan as Deputy Leader. He said Mr Costigan had been expected to lose his seat but instead had increased his margin.

“He’d help raise the profile. He works hard, but he doesn’t get treated well by the LNP.”

Cr Wharton said the LNP’s elected members, especially the leaders, needed to spend more time in the regions. “There is such a big focus on the southeast corner now,” he said.

Political commentator Dr Paul Williams from Griffith University agreed with much of what Cr Wharton said, except the call to replace Mr Nicholls.

“I would be laying the blame for the LNP’s performance on the party’s organisational wing and not the parliamentary wing. Nicholls ran a smooth campaign. It was a more textbook campaign, but the ALP still won,” he said.

Mr Costigan said the deputy leader’s job was a matter for his colleagues, but added that he had “plenty to offer”.

“If we are serious about addressing our performance in North Queensland we have tomake changes. Frankly our performance was piss poor,” he said.

Originally published as John Wharton says leadership failed ‘piss poor’ LNP