‘Faceless’ Nationals trying to ‘blow up’ Government

Moves to switch a safe Liberal seat from the Liberal Party to the Nationals have sparked some heated claims from within the Coalition.

Senior Cabinet sources say “faceless” Nationals in Canberra are attempting to “blow up” the Government in the middle of the pandemic with a rushed bid to snatch the safe Queensland seat of Groom from the Liberals, as the internal battle heats up.

But National party sources say the move has been membership-driven, and is not coming from the party.

Power play could give Qld a deputy PM

Member for Groom’s shock resignation

Branch members in Groom, which is centred on Toowoomba, will be given a historic vote tonight on whether the safe LNP seat will switch from the Liberal Party to the Nationals for the first time in 32 years, following the resignation of MP John McVeigh.

If supported the move would give the Nationals more power within the Coalition and potentially another frontbench position, while it could also give Senator Matt Canavan the opportunity to move to the Lower House, though he has said this is unlikely.

LNP Senator Matt Canavan says it is unlikely he will contest the Groom by-election.

A LNP state executive meeting on Friday gave Groom branch members a historic vote on whether the seat would sit with the Liberal and Nationals in Canberra.

But a senior Cabinet source said they were “incredibly concerned” at how rushed the process had been.

“It is completely transparent how good the LNP members of Groom are being used as political play things by Canberra Nats,” they said.

“(NSW Deputy Premier John) Barilaro just tried to blow up the NSW Government in the middle of a pandemic and now faceless men from the Nats in Canberra are trying to do the same thing in Queensland.”

But Nationals sources have refuted the accusations and say it should be up to the members to decide.

“Groom is a regional seat and would be better represented in Canberra in the Nationals party room,” a senior source said.

“This has been a drive from the membership, not the National party.”

In a notice sent to branch members, obtained by The Courier-Mail, Groom federal division council chair Peter Wilson said it would be “potentially one of the biggest decisions” their branch would make.

John McVeigh’s resignation as Member for Groom has sparked a by-election contest.

“I appreciate the notice is very short, but of course we are working with a compressed time frame between nominations closing, a preselection and a by-election being held, so time is of the essence,” he said.

The LNP is one party, but its MPs and senators sit with the Liberal or National Party in Canberra.

Nominations for the seat close at the end of the week, with names being discussed including Toowoomba regional councillor Rebecca Vonhoff, former senator Barry O’Sullivan’s son, also named Barry O’Sullivan, as well as businessmen Garth Hamilton and Shane Charles.

The by-election was sparked by the surprise resignation of John McVeigh, due to his wife‘s health concerns.
A date for the by-election has yet to be set.