Springborg presidency could mend fractured LNP party

Lawrence Springborg will almost certainly run for LNP party president at the July state conference and is expected to do so under a ‘ticket’ with some other well-known faces.

LNP elder Lawrence Springborg will almost certainly run for party president at the July state conference, as part of a broader plan to reform the fractured relationship between the organisational and parliamentary wings of the party.

The Springborg presidency would come in the form of a “ticket’’, which may include former premier Rob Borbidge as his deputy and Jeff Seeney on the new state executive.

He is expected to announce his candidacy after the May 1 election of the LNP Senate ticket, where James McGrath is fighting Amanda Stoker for the top spot.

JOINING IN: Former Member for Southern Downs Lawrence Springborg will chair the committee who are pushing for de-amalgamation of the Southern Downs.

It’s understood the catalyst for the Springborg presidency run came after a series of stories in The Sunday Mail and The Courier Mail, with grassroots members declaring the current state executive “had to go’’.

Tensions were also inflamed when current president Cynthia Hardy described those who spoke out publicly about the dysfunction as “cowards’’.

Those on the record included Mr Springborg, Mr Borbidge and Mr Seeney.

He was also bitterly disappointed at being banished as a Trustee of the party after questioning why headquarters had leaked sensitive polling about former leader Deb Frecklington.

Rob Borbidge. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Mr Springborg was the architect of the merger between the Liberal and National parties and is regarded as one of the most respected people in Queensland politics from both sides. He said on Monday night he was “seriously considering’’ a tilt at the presidency.

“I’m not going to say something like ‘no I’m not going to run,’ when clearly I’ve been thinking about it for a while,’’ Mr Springborg said.

Several LNP sources say the Springborg ticket “clearly has the numbers’’ as frustrated longstanding members and volunteers demand answers.

The Springborg tilt comes as former Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mander was elected to the state executive last week. It is an unusual move to have a sitting MP in that role and it has been seen as a forerunner to sweeping change.

Former MP Jeff Seeney outside his one-time office in Biloela.

Mr Mander was ropeable at the way private polling was leaked against Ms Frecklington before the last election.

Senior sources say party leader David Crisafulli was “stunned’’ at the white-hot anger he saw among long-serving members after the election defeat last October.

“David knows that unless there’s reform – a big broom – the party will continue to wallow in mediocrity,’’ a source said. “The Labor Party are so clever at displaying public unity. They are formidable and we need everybody on the same page otherwise it’s game over.’’

Other names being bandied about to run for state executive include Gary Hardgrave, Santo Santoro and Ian Walker.