Cambell Newman made LNP Trustee
Former premier Campbell Newman has been promoted to a top position in Queensland’s LNP, leaving grassroots members of the party ‘gobsmacked’.
QLD Politics
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Campbell Newman has been promoted to help lead the LNP, angering party members and MPs who claim the move is “gobsmacking” and won’t do anything to ease internal frictions.
The polarizing former premier was this afternoon made a LNP Trustee - meaning he now holds a key position on the party’s state executive.
It’s understood grassroots members are astounded by the decision to reward a person who undermined the past three parliamentary leaders.
They also believe the decision is handing Labor a free goal to lambast the LNP.
But Acting President Cynthia Hardy said the party would be better off for Mr Newman’s contribution.
One party insider slammed it as a politically poor decision.
“The only way to fix this is to have a clean sweep out at Convention of the executive positions,” they said.
“This has not gone down well amongst the MPs.”
Mr Newman will replace Bernard Ponting as one of the three Trustees.
The father of the LNP Lawrence Springborg was last year “dumped” as a Trustee, blindsiding senior party figures.
A senior LNP source said Ms Hardy kept talking about repairing the internal rift with state MPs, but this was an insult to everyone who’d been working to “fix the mess Campbell left”.
Another source said the membership was “already very upset with the hierarchy”, labelling the move as “gobsmacking”.
It’s understood nearly half of the party’s state executive voted against the move today.
Ms Hardy said Mr Newman was a successful investment and property manager, and would bring significant skill and experience to the LNP’s investment portfolio.
“As Lord Mayor, he established the City of Brisbane Investment Corporation, which has now grown to be worth more than $300 million,” she said.
“As Premier he started the long and difficult job of reversing Labor’s economic vandalism in Queensland.
“He will give great impetus to our fundraising and asset-building.
“Labor will complain and criticise, as they always do, but the LNP will be much better off for his contribution.”
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