Queensland election 2017: LNP needs another Barnaby Joyce, says Whitsunday MP Jason Costigan

A LNP MP has slammed his own party for failing to take advantage of Labor’s struggles in regional Queensland ahead of its imminent election loss.

Whitsunday MP Jason Costigan says his LNP party needs a “Barnaby of the North”. Picture: Daryl Wright

• Joyce reclaims seat and deputy role

THE Liberal-National Party needs a “Barnaby of the North” to help it win back the bush after its state election loss, Opposition MP Jason Costigan says.

The Whitsunday MP, who survived a concerted Labor campaign to win his seat with a slightly increased margin at last weekend’s state poll, has slammed his party’s performance in the state’s North as “bitterly disappointing”.

“We need to have some people in our team who can sell ice to the Eskimos and at the moment some of us couldn’t sell ice to an Afgani camel driver,” he said as he spoke about the party’s election loss.

“We had some terrific policies, but it’s plainly obvious that the messengers couldn’t get the cut through, rightly or wrongly.

“People just aren’t listening.”

Barnaby Joyce was forced into a by-election in his New England electorate — which he won Saturday night — after he was found to be a dual citizen of New Zealand. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

In an apparent pitch to his LNP colleagues to consider making him deputy when they eventually meet for a leadership ballot, Mr Costigan told The Sunday Mail that the party needed someone who could win back its base in Central, North and Far North Queensland.

He described the LNP’s primary vote in seats such as Hill and Mirani as “diabolical”.

“We need a Barnaby of the North,” he said, referencing Barnaby Joyce, the knockabout politician who has been a popular leader of the federal National Party.

“We need someone they can believe in. “Someone who is authentic, someone who is real, someone who is one of us.”

Whitsunday MP Jason Costigan has slammed his party for being unable to capitalise on Labor’s struggles in North Queensland. Picture: Daryl Wright.

When asked if he believed he should be considered for Deputy Leader, Mr Costigan said that ‘‘was for others to decide.”

“This (North Queensland) is old National Party heartland. I know North Queensland like the back of my hand. I don’t need a map. I don’t need briefing notes.

“I just can’t believe that in the wash-up of this election that there is a possibility we could have less seats north of Bundaberg then we started with.

“What makes me wild is that the Labor Government was on the nose, big time. It was no secret. All the polling indicated that, the voter sentiment, people blowing up delux about power prices, water security in Townsville and across North Queensland.

“How we weren’t able to tap into that voter sentiment is beyond me.”

Mr Costigan dismissed suggestions that the LNP should demerger, however, saying he did not believe that was the answer.