LNP leader faced gruelling interview, evaded questions, rejects admin clear-out

Broadcaster Alan Jones has applied the blowtorch to LNP leader David Crisafulli following The Courier-Mail’s expose of a culture crisis gripping the party. SEE THE EXCHANGE

Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has ruled out vacating the organisational wing of the Liberal National Party following reports of a toxic culture.

Following an in-depth expose of the crisis in The Courier-Mail and The Sunday Mail, Sky News broadcaster Alan Jones last night called on Mr Crisafulli to demand a clearing out of the administrative wing.

Mr Crisafulli acknowledged he had a difficult task ahead of him, but said he was the man for the job.

“My job is to get the LNP, my mob, fit for government,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“I owe that, not to the big wigs but the people who are behind me, at the branches and in my electorate.

“If we are going to get generational reform, that begins with empowering the grass roots.

“We can no longer accept mediocrity and infighting, everybody must know their roles and responsibilities in order to deliver decent government for Queensland.”

Jones told the new LNP leader he was evading his question.

“That’s all terrific, but you haven’t answered my question. The story in The Courier-Mail was about administrative bullies who control the party,” Jones said.

“Why wouldn’t you call a special meeting of the state council with the state executive and move a motion, you Mr Crisafulli, to declare all administrative positions vacant?”

But Mr Crisafulli ruled it out.

“There’s only one way to do that, and that’s in four months’ time where branch members will have their say,” he said.

The LNP’s 2021 state convention will be held concurrently with the constitutional convention (held every five years) which was delayed by COVID-19 restrictions.

Alan Jones interviews David Crisafulli on Sky News last night.

The event held from July 23-25 will give party members the chance to propose and vote on motions to amend the LNP constitution.

Jones asked Mr Crisafulli if he was worried his leadership was owed to LNP president Cynthia Harding and state director Michael O’Dwyer.

A clearly irritated Mr Crisafulli replied: “My leadership is owed to two groups of people: the people of (his electorate) Broadwater and the party room.”

Jones said: “The Courier-Mail story is about bullies in the administrative wing; (former leaders John-Paul) Langbroek and (Deb) Frecklington were both knifed by that administration, they should all go, will you be demanding they go?”

Mr Crisafulli said: “Will I reform the party? My leadership will live or die on it.

“I am over it, the infighting and the cannibalism.

“I am going to reform it.

“In six months’ time, in 12 months’ time, in four years’ time, people will look back and they’re going to ask if this guy fulfilled what he said he was going to do.”

Earlier in the day Mr Crisafulli said it was “no good” that past presidents Bruce McIver and Gary Spence were seen on Clive Palmer’s yacht on election night.

He said it had “hurt the members”, as he warned the party would be consigned to a generation in opposition unless it repairs and heals.

Asked by Jones if he believed Ms Frecklington’s leadership had been undermined by the organisational wing of the party, Mr Crisafulli said: “Yes.”

He said he intended to reform the party, acknowledging it would not be easy but insisting he was up for it.

“People said to Wayne Goss in the late ’80s he wouldn’t do it, and 20 years later they said the same thing to David Cameron about the Tories in the UK,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“And they’ll say the same thing to me.

“But I will be judged on how successful I am on this.”