Opinion: LNP appointment a last gasp of the Old Guard

The LNP executive knew change was coming, but appointed their ultimately doomed state director anyway, writes Peter Gleeson.

The resignation this week of LNP state director Tony Eyres exemplifies all that was wrong with the previous senior executive of the party.

Eyres, a very capable man and a Churchill fellow, was appointed in June to the role of running the LNP’s administration and, importantly, being a key part of the 2022 federal election, in which Queensland will be crucial to the Coalition’s chances.

Eyres was appointed by then acting president Cynthia Hardy, with the decision given the imprimatur of the then state executive, and the Old Guard, which ran the show.

He replaced outgoing LNP director Michael O’Dwyer.

This was despite Eyres having no political or campaign experience. In fact, he hadn’t even handed out a how-to-vote card.

Hardy knew when Eyres was appointed that a fat broom was about to be swept through the LNP organisational hierarchy. Either that or she was delusional.

She knew grassroots members were angry with the dysfunctionality and toxic culture within the organisation, which also fuelled resentment among MPs.

Short-lived LNP state director Tony Eyres

The straw that broke the camel’s back was the transparent leaking of adverse polling from headquarters against then opposition leader Deb Frecklington.

Ms Hardy knew party elders such as Lawrence Springborg, Peter Dutton, Rob Borbidge, Adrian Schrinner, Gary Hardgrave, Santo Santoro, Jeff Seeney – and many others – were agitating to throw the senior executive out and start again.

Rather than sit down with them and work on a solution, she called them cowards. Charming.

Yet they appointed Eyres, who lasted five months.

Ms Hardy should have waited for the outcome of the annual conference in late July to determine what direction the party would take.

Instead, in a petulant move, they appointed Eyres, knowing full well there was a good chance the existing powerbrokers would be gone.

That’s what happened. Springborg was made president and the Old Guard, led by former president Bruce McIver, were kicked to the kerb.

And now Eyres has gone and former state campaign boss Lincoln Folo is acting in the role.

The LNP has a big task to beat Labor in 2024. Getting rid of the Old Guard is a big step toward doing it.