Secret tape of LNP treasurer Barry O'Sullivan reveals him swearing at candidate Paul Freebody

LNP boss says foul-mouthed grilling of dumped candidate caught on tape is over-the-top but denies there is culture of intimidation in party. Listen to the tape

Barry O'Sullivan

A SECRETLY taped grilling of an LNP candidate has exposed the climate of fear and intimidation being executed by the party's bosses ahead of the looming state election.

The recording of the brutal two-hour interview with former Cairns candidate Paul Freebody, obtained by The Courier-Mail, is an unprecedented insight into how political parties tackle internal problems.

Colourful LNP treasurer Barry O'Sullivan, already accused of employing intimidation tactics and holding dirt files on LNP MPs, is heard repeatedly swearing at Mr Freebody, who was dumped in August.

To hear the recording play the video above

Mr Freebody said he recorded the interview after over-hearing the "savage" treatment of a candidate who failed to declare his religion.

"To be honest with you, I was just stunned that in a modern political party these were the guys deciding whether people became Members of Parliament," he said.

"What they have done to me I can accept, I am a big boy. But the pain and the hurt and embarrassment they caused to my family is why people don't run for Parliament."

LNP President Bruce McIver admits the grilling was over the top, but insists there's no culture of intimidation in the LNP.

He said Mr Freebody's grilling by a candidate review committee went too far, but a thorough examination of candidates was necessary to head off Labor attacks.

``Obviously this one was over-robust,'' Mr McIver told ABC Radio.

``It's most unwelcome, but you have to put it into context,'' adding it was just one of 200 such candidate interviews that had been conducted.

The interview in March this year was also undertaken by LNP honorary legal adviser Bernard Ponting and state director Michael O'Dwyer.

Former Liberal president Bob Tucker and former treasurer Joan Sheldon took more low-profile roles during the ordeal.

Mr Freebody fronted the interview after a complaint was made to the party over a soured business deal.

While professing his innocence, Mr Freebody was told by Mr O'Dwyer that they were the kind of allegations the LNP would use against Labor regardless of their validity.

"We need to work to make the problem go away, not put our knees together, shut our eyes, rock back and forward humming some f ... ing nursery rhyme you learnt in Grade One," Mr O'Sullivan told Mr Freebody.

At one stage the successful Cairns businessman is told he's like "lifting a dead body" and later ordered to hold his hands in the air and repeat statements after Mr O'Sullivan like a naughty school boy.

"You might know car washes, I know about bringing matters to proof and negating the evidence," the former detective said.

It ends with Mr O'Sullivan declaring he had heard enough and wanted something to eat.

"Paul I am done for the day," he said.

"I am tired. I am hungry. Have a look at me. You know I haven't missed too many feeds."

Mr Freebody, who was ejected over an email scandal, said he believed the party's powerbrokers had always wanted him out.

Weeks after the interview, Mr Freebody said he was presented with a dirt file on himself which he was told was done by Labor but claims he discovered later that the LNP had hired someone to put it together.

While still backing LNP leader Campbell Newman, Mr Freebody said he would not rejoin the party unless the culture and people changed.

LNP president Bruce McIver last night denied the grilling of Mr Freebody was routine.

"I wouldn't have thought so," he said.

However, when told some of the colourful turns of phrase used by Mr O'Sullivan during the interview, Mr McIver said he wasn't present or aware of the details.

"I have got no comment about any of it," he said.

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For the full story, more about Barry O’Sullivan and Steven Wardill’s comment, get today’s Courier-Mail newspaper.