Attorney-General George Brandis reacts over recorded comments labelling Queensland LNP ‘mediocre’

UPDATE: LNP boss Gary Spence has used a video message to 14,000 members to slap down negative“observations” made by Attorney-General George Brandis about the State Opposition.

• Queensland: They won’t vote LNP in the bush

LNP boss Gary Spence has used a video message to 14,000 members to slap down negative

“observations” made by Attorney-General George Brandis about the State Opposition.

In a rare public castigation of Malcolm Turnbull’s most senior MP in Queensland, Mr Spence rubbished any speculation of a de-merger between the Liberal National Party, and trumpeted the hard work of State Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls.

Senator Brandis at the weekend did not realise his microphone was on when he told Victorian Liberal Party boss Michael Kroger that Mr Nicholls’ performance in Queensland had been ``very mediocre” and raised whether there was a need to split the parties because of the rise of One Nation.

“On the weekend Senator Brandis made some comments at a Victorian Liberal Party even that the leadership of the LNP strongly rejects,’’ Mr Spence says in the You Tube video sent to members this afternoon.

“In fact, without the LNP outperforming Labor in Queensland, the Turnbull Government would be in Opposition.

“There is no desire, need or appetite to go back to the pre-merger days.”

He congratulated Mr Nicholls and his team for performing well in Queensland.

Earlier Attorney-General George Brandis has spoken out about his controversial comments that the State LNP Opposition was “mediocre”, saying he had understood it to be a private conversation.

He also suggested it was time to revisit the merger of the Liberal and National parties.

Labor’s Queensland Senators jumped on the comments, asking Senator Brandis if he stood by his remarks.

“I did make some observations about Queensland politics. It was what I understood to be a private conversation,” Senator Brandis said.

“One of the things I said during the course of those observations was the Queensland Government is a very, very mediocre government, and so it is.”

Resources and Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan did not back up Senator Brandis’ comments about the State Opposition.

“I have a different view, I think the LNP Opposition does a fantastic job,” he said.

Tourism Minister and Member for Moncrieff Steve Ciobo said he supported the LNP, when asked if it was time for the party to split again.

“I’m a member of the LNP so of course I support the party I’m a member of,” he said.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also threw his support behind the LNP remaining a single party.

“The LNP is working very effectively and whenever I’m in Queensland I’m reminded of what an effective political force it is,” he said.