David Crisafulli reveals plan to end dysfunction within LNP

The Queensland LNP has never been a settled party, but now David Crisafulli has revealed his plan to end the dysfunction and give the party a fighting chance at the polls.

The Queensland LNP has never really been a settled party.

Ever since this political hybrid arrived on the scene in July 2008 as a merger of the two conservative forces in this state, the parliamentary wing and the party executive have rarely fitted comfortably together.

And that is a core reason why the LNP has never really fulfilled its promise at a state level, apart from that brief period when Campbell Newman secured his historic win in 2012.

That internal division, exposed over the past few months by journalist Peter Gleeson in The Courier-Mail and The Sunday Mail, was crystallised perfectly by one photograph taken on election night as yet another LNP loss unfolded.

That photo featured mining billionaire Clive Palmer, who also happened to head an opposing party, entertaining past LNP presidents Dave Hutchinson, Gary Spence and Bruce McIver on his luxury yacht on the Brisbane River.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli at the LNP State Council in Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston

It reinforced the perception of LNP party bosses being out of touch with the elected representatives and, far more importantly, unelected aspirants.

The grassroots of the LNP has had a gutful of what they view as a cabal of powerbrokers who have too much say in determining the direction of a party which, as loss after loss demonstrates, is not heading in the right direction.

After this newspaper’s investigation, newly minted LNP leader David Crisafulli made it clear he was going to overhaul the LNP’s structure.

It is to his credit that the state can now view his bold and coherent vision of how to tidy up the back of the LNP’s house.

Crisafulli, in a landmark speech to the party’s State Council on Saturday, revealed that he intends to use his power to push through a restructure of the LNP in a manner which is certain to make him deeply unpopular with entrenched powerbrokers. His plan will smash their control of the organisation and gives the LNP a fighting chance of finally ending the dysfunction and focus on winning government.

Under the reforms, power will no longer be concentrated in the hands of too few.

It will also be close to impossible for anyone who has funded a rival party or run against the LNP to sign up for service on the LNP ship.

Call it the “Clive Rule’’ if you like, because it finally and openly acknowledges the colourful billionaire as an enemy of the party.

The LNP has acknowledged Clive Palmer as an enemy of the party.

In tandem with that are provisions for ensuring those who have been booted out for dissent can come back, indicating a will to ­finally get rid of the party’s glass jaw when it comes to internal criticism and get the best people in the tent.

Crisafulli has also identified 14 seats the LNP needs for it to win power, and says he wants seven of those seats going to women.

This is a smart and necessary move given the LNP’s need for more female representation.

Crisafulli’s plan shows mettle. It will be welcomed by grassroots LNP members whose concerns have finally been acted on.

Crisafulli’s willingness to both acknowledge the problems of the past and initiate change to get the LNP fighting fit demonstrates the party made the right choice when it elected him leader last year.

This state needs both major parties to be robust and talented – it’s the only way we can ensure our political process provides the best possible outcomes for the people of Queensland.