Groom by-election: LNP preselection wars
The LNP’s preselection for a contender to run in a blue-ribbon Queensland seat forced into a by-election is likely to come down to these two contenders - a local councillor and a figure who made a controversial name for himself during the same-sex marriage debate.
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The fight for the Groom by-election is coming down to two main contenders, a councillor who has secured the backing of senior LNP figures, and a controversial figure in the same-sex marriage debate who has support from the party’s Christian right.
The LNP’s preselection for the blue-ribbon seat will be held this Sunday and is expected to be a close contest.
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Toowoomba councillor Rebecca Vonhoff is been promoted by some within the party as a candidate for the future, who will be able to hold the seat and even be future ministerial material.
Her biggest contender is Dr David van Gend, who was a campaigner in the ‘no’ case for the same-sex marriage plebiscite and described homosexuality as a “disorder”, argued for the suspension of immigration from Islamic countries that “enforce Sharia doctrines of death for blasphemy, apostasy, homosexuality or adultery”.
He has told LNP branch members that as well as helping the economy recover, he would push for “recovery from another type of sickness”.
“The cultural sickness that has been brought about by the long march of the left through our institutions,” Dr van Gend wrote in his pitch.
“There’s no point in the LNP controlling the finances of the nation if Labor and the Greens control the minds of our kids.”
Former Member for Groom Bill Taylor, who served from 1988 to 1988 has voiced support for Cr Vonhoff.
Several sources have said that another former Groom MP, Ian Macfarlane, had also voiced support for the councillor, but approached for comment a spokesman said he “doesn’t comment publicly on internal LNP matters”.
It is understood that, prior to candidates being known, Prime Minister Scott Morrison had expressed a preference that a woman win preselection for the safe Coalition seat, but has not been otherwise involved.
While Cr Vonhoff and Dr van Gend remain favourites for the contest, two dark horse candidates include Bryce Camm and Sara Hales.
It is expected to be a close contest, with the votes of the eliminated candidates in early rounds of voting set to determine the outcome.
There are seven candidates contesting the seat, including businessmen Garth Hamilton.
The by-election in Groom was called after its MP John McVeigh resigned suddenly last month due to his wife’s illness.
Close of nominations for the by-election is November 5, while polling day will be on November 28.
