Cynthia Hardy refuses to reveal if she’ll take on Lawrence Springborg in LNP race

While former opposition leader Lawrence Springborg has officially thrown his hat in the ring to be LNP party president, the current acting president won’t let on what her next move will be.

LNP acting president Cynthia Hardy has refused to say whether she will run against Lawrence Springborg for the party presidency in July.

Mr Springborg, a former LNP Opposition leader, ended months of speculation on Sunday when he confirmed he would throw his hat in the ring.

Asked on Monday whether she would run, Ms Hardy in a statement said the delegates to State Convention would choose the president.

It comes as former LNP president Bruce McIver said Mr Springborg would make an “ideal” president.

LNP president Cynthia Hardy. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“When elected by State Executive to serve as acting president I said that my communication with membership would be with them directly,” she said.

“Like every other member, I am here to serve as a fellow volunteer, with purpose, energy and direction.

“I will uphold our party values and constitution in all that I do.”

A senior party source said if Mr Springborg ran, he would likely win which “could be good for the party”.

But they said he would need to address who would help run the party when he’s not in Brisbane – given he is the Goondiwindi Regional Council Mayor.

It comes as exiled LNP stalwarts booted out for criticising the party executive have heralded state leader David Crisafulli’s determination to clean out the organisational wing.

Lawrence Springborg. Picture: Liam Kidston

But former Herbert MP Peter Lindsay and long-time Richmond Shire Council Mayor John Wharton have remained coy about whether they will rejoin the party at this time.

Mr Lindsay was suspended by the party in 2017, a day after he publicly criticised the LNP’s failed state election campaign — this happened days after Cr Wharton was also suspended for the same reason.

Cr Wharton said he would be “happy” to have a discussion about rejoining the LNP if Mr Springborg was elected as president but declined to comment further.

Mr Crisafulli, in a speech to the party faithful on Saturday, said the LNP could not continue to ignore key personalities who had been banished for daring to speak their minds, arguing it was a great tradition of conservatives to tolerate dissenting opinion, not punish it.

“He is on a mission to clean up the party, and he is going to succeed,” Mr Lindsay said.

“That means there will be a new executive.

“I note Mr Crisafulli’s requestion (for me) to rejoin the party and I am seriously considering it.”