LNP powerbroker weighs legal options as party brawl boils over

A one-time LNP factional warlord is weighing up a legal challenge after his push for a powerful role in the party was denied.

Ben Riley (left) and Santo Santoro

An explosive internal Queensland LNP rift could be headed to court, with a one-time LNP factional warlord weighing up a legal challenge after his push for a powerful role in the party was denied.

The headaches for LNP headquarters are also set to roll on in another contested internal ballot to take place on Monday evening.

LNP state director Ben Riley, in an update to members, confirmed ex-Howard government minister and veteran lobbyist Santo Santoro had been ruled ineligible to vie for a seat on state executive.

Mr Riley said high-level legal advice had deemed Mr Santoro’s nomination invalid as he had been a registered lobbyist at the time he put his name forward.

Lobbyists are banned from playing a “substantial” role in Queensland election campaigns under the state’s integrity laws.

The LNP in 2011 also banned lobbyists from state executive in a move to clamp down on conflicts of interest.

Mr Santoro was still a registered lobbyist when he nominated for the role, but took himself off the federal and Queensland register hours before the vote was held on May 9.

But supporters of Mr Santoro believe the LNP’s top brass are not out of the woods, and that there is still an argument to be had over the interpretation of the laws and the way the vote was handled.

It is understood Mr Santoro is weighing up his legal options. Mr Santoro declined to comment.

His backers have maintained the push to get the veteran party powerbroker back on to state executive was about sending LNP headquarters a message about members being dissatisfied about the way things were being done.

The aggrieved section of the LNP is hoping to send another message to headquarters on Monday evening, when members in the party’s metro-west region are set to vote on their state executive representative.

Ex-Howard government Gary Hardgrave held the role until he was suspended by the party pending internal investigations over allegations of bullying and intimidation, which came after he raised concerns of alleged branch stacking.

The Courier Mail does not suggest the complaints are true or that Mr Hardgrave has engaged in any wrongdoing, and he will be given the opportunity to defend himself before the disputes committee.

Mr Hardgrave’s wife Lorraine is running for the position against former Brisbane city councillor Peter Matic.

Backers of Mr Santoro have signalled a win by Mrs Hardgrave would send a strong signal to headquarters that the fight was not over.

Mr Riley, in an earlier email to members, had called on supporters to be “responsible for the high standards that come with earning the trust of Queenslanders and forming government”.

“As a party the LNP must demonstrate to Queenslanders, through our actions, that we conduct our internal affairs with complete integrity,” Mr Riley said.

“The LNP upholds the highest standards of governance and restoring integrity to Queensland is at the heart of all we do as we fight to form government at the October election.

“We must all be responsible for the high standards that come with earning the trust of Queenslanders and forming government.”