Liberal National Party spends $17,000 in six months for hopeful MPs to undergo psychometric profiling in Ipswich
THE Liberal National Party has spent more than $17,000 in just six months to find out if their candidates have a personality.
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THE Liberal National Party has spent more than $17,000 in just six months to find out if their candidates have a personality.
All hopeful MPs have been undergoing gruelling psychometric profiling by a psychologist in Ipswich.
But finding out who has the making of a great politician is all a secret because the LNP does not want to talk about it.
The party is also refusing to reveal if current MPs and leader-in-waiting, Campbell Newman, have completed the test.
Even candidates are keeping their results under wraps and don't even want to admit on-the-record that their minds have been probed.
The Sunday Mail can reveal that the LNP paid Lifestyle Mosaics almost $17,600 for the tests. The business is registered in the name of Jacqueline Wood and the company address is listed as Ipswich Psychology Centre.
Miss Wood did not return calls.
Generally, during the tests, an issue or scenario is put forward and candidates respond with answers ranging from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree". Many large firms now use the tests.
Statements used in the past include: "I prefer to avoid conflict", "I enjoy parties and other social occasions" and "Work is the most important thing in my life".
Early in the week, the LNP was prepared to talk about the tests but after it was revealed it paid more than $3000 for "dirt files" on ALP ministers, it refused.
Instead, it sent a statement saying "it would not be commenting on the Party's pre-selection processes".
The about-face has allowed Labor to throw some dirt of its own, with Treasurer Andrew Fraser stoking speculation the LNP may keep dirt files on its own MPs. The LNP has denied it keeps dirt on its own team.
"This latest episode raises the question of whether this psychometric testing is stapled to their dirt files," Mr Fraser said.
