LNP rifts on show as Laming loses tilt for Oodgeroo executive in heated secret ballot

Secret ballot figures show former federal MP Andrew Laming lost a tilt at gaining party control of a bayside branch to conservative sitting MP Mark Robinson in a heated battle on Wednesday night.

Party leader David Crisafulli, left, was at the meeting to back Oodgeroo MP Mark Robinson’s, right, executive team which went head to head with former federal MP Andrew Laming, centre.

A bayside LNP seat has become a battleground for factional infighting in the lead up to the party preselecting candidates for October 2024 state election.

Factional infighting within the bayside branches of the Liberal National Party bubbled up on Wednesday night when former federal MP Andrew Laming had an unsuccessful tilt at a plum executive post for a party branch he wanted to control.

Mr Laming, who did not recontest his federal seat of Bowman at last year’s poll, lost out on being elected Oodgeroo State Executive Council chairman 54 to 48.

The seat’s 102 members instead voted for long-serving branch executive Chris Reeves, who is aligned with the sitting member for Oodgeroo Mark Robinson.

Party leader David Crisafulli was at the meeting reportedly backing “100 per cent” Mr Robinson’s executive team.

Federal MP for Bowman Henry Pike pictured here on the campaign trail with his Chris Reeves, right, who was voted in as Oodgeroo state branch chairman.

It is the role of chairmen to schedule annual general meetings, organise membership drives and they also have crucial access to membership details.

The vote had been incorrectly reported as 51 to 49, which was the result for the Oodgeroo branch secretary vote, a contest between Greg Jamieson, backed by Mr Robinson, and Shane Goodwin, backed by Mr Laming.

Also at the meeting, members voted for executive posts for the Federal Divisional Council, which covers the federal seat of Bowman, which includes state seats of Oodgeroo, Redlands and Capalaba.

That post was won by Mr Robinson’s-backed candidate Robin Archer 98 to 72, beating Mr Laming’s candidate Shane Goodwin.

After the vote, Mr Laming said it was a “fabulous result”.

LNP member for Oodgeroo Mark Robinson, left, with federal Bowman MP Henry Pike, right, and former LNP Leader Deb Frecklington in 2020. Picture: Sarah Marshall

Mr Reeves said he was relieved to be voted back into the managerial role as chairman of the branch State Electoral Council, a position he has held for eight years.

Mr Reeves is also the vice-chair of the Metro South LNP, which oversees 12 southside state seats.

“This was likely a stepping stone for Laming, who was setting up for a tilt at the seat of Oodgeroo to take on Mark Robinson,” Mr Reeves said,

“He can still run for pre-selection for that seat but he will have to go through the party and the executive before he is endorsed.

“It is unknown when the LNP will call preselection for Oodgeroo or the other seat of Capalaba, but because Mr Robinson is a strong sitting candidate, it is likely that the vote will be eight months before the election which is in October 2024.”

Mr Laming, who lives in the seat of Oodgeroo, is still eligible to run for pre-selection with only those who have been registered party members for more than a year able to vote in the secret ballot.

He is also eligible to run for the seat of Capalaba, an ALP stronghold, held by Don Brown since 2015.

In February, the LNP endorsed Rebecca Young as its candidate for the state seat of Redlands, which is held by the ALP’s Kim Richards with a 3.9 per cent margin.