LNP abolishes powerful President’s Committee

The LNP’s powerful President’s Committee has been abolished amid anger from party members over recent decisions and actions.

The LNP’s powerful President’s Committee has been abolished as the party’s hotly anticipated state conference gets under way.

The Courier-Mail understands the vote was almost unanimous in the closed-door meeting of delegates, such was the anger from party members over the recent decisions and actions of the powerful body.

LNP Leader David Crisafulli had addressed the room before the vote, telling them he did not want to be on the President’s Committee, despite the recommendation by the Constitutional Review Committee that his position should be represented on it, along with two regional chairs.

Leader of the LNP David Crisafulli at the 2021 Annual Convention at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Pics Tara Croser.

But Mr Crisafulli said he did not want power unequal to the rest of the executive, and there were complaints on the floor that some regional chairs would hold more power than others.

A senior LNP source said this was a monumental moment for the LNP.

“In all my years I’ve never seen the party embrace a new direction so strongly,” they said.

“The room was overwhelmingly in favour of handing power back to the grassroots of our party.

“This is what reform looks like. Don’t underestimate what this means for the party, our members and the future.”

Another senior source said it was akin to throwing off the “power of Tolkien’s ring”.

Proposals to amend the Constitution require two thirds support to be carried.

Mr Crisafulli used May’s blockbuster State Council to outline his plans for “monumental” reform as he called for a dismantling of the all-powerful cabal of backroom powerbrokers and publicly backed the return of beloved veteran Lawrence Springborg to the presidency.

But there had been fears the motion to abolish the committee would not be debated today, and that constitutional changes would only bring about a watered-down version of the current status quo.

Today’s constitutional review comes ahead of Saturday’s vote to fill leadership positions, with Mr Springborg considered the favourite to beat out acting president Cynthia Hardy and fellow candidate Timothy Wright.