Australian federal election 2019: Leaked Liberal Party Email warns safe Gold Coast seat a ‘battleground’

A shock leaked email reveals one of the Gold Coast’s safest Liberal Party held seats could fall at the May election. “The Gold Coast has become a battleground’ it warns.

A LEADING LNP candidate to replace Steven Ciobo in the party’s stronghold of Moncrieff warns in a leaked email the seat is a “battleground” up for grabs.

Lawyer Karly Abbott, one of eight candidates in the running for preselection in the blue ribbon seat, makes the startling admission in an email to party members.

Ciobo, standing down at the election, has a 17 per cent margin in the seat he has held since 2001.

Karly Abbott. Photo by Richard Gosling

But Ms Abbott warns it should be considered a “battleground”, prompting card-carrying LNP member and Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate to say he believed it was ripe for an upset.

Abbott’s email, leaked to the Bulletin, says: “With the rise of populist politics and a left agenda being hyperventilated by the media, there has never been a more important time to be involved in the political process and ensure our city remains blue.

“There is no such thing as a safe seat anymore. If you don’t believe me, ask Greg Hunt, Josh Frydenberg, Dave Sharma or even Tony Abbott.

Steven Ciobo is retiring. Picture by Luke Marsden.

“Moncrieff and the Gold Coast has become a battleground. It is time we send a clear message to Labor – especially Meaghan Scanlon and Murray Watt – that our city is a conservative heartland, and not up for grabs.”

Moncrieff has been held by the Liberal Party since its creation in 1984 It is the third safest seat in Queensland and the Coalition’s ninth-safest in the entire country.

Ms Abbott, who did not return calls to the Bulletin yesterday, is understood to have backing from members of the branch who previously backed Mr Ciobo.

Mr Ciobo, when revealing in the Bulletin this month he would retire, said a female should be chosen.

The Liberal Party has held a lock on Moncrieff and other Coast seats for decades but there are fears a last-minute campaign by a prominent independent could end conservative domination.

It comes months after The Liberal Party lost Sydney seat Wentworth - previously held by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull - to high-profile independent Kerryn Phelps

Mayor Tom Tate. Picture: Jerad Williams

Cr Tate said he believed Moncrieff and also McPherson were ripe for a Wentworth-style upset.

“This city has been taken for granted as a blue city by conservative Liberals,” he said.

“It would not surprise me there may be a strong independent candidate who will want to run.

“Since Dr Phelps won in Wentworth, I think this will service as encouragement for other talented people who will want to be independent and not beholden to a party when representing this city federally.”

Griffith University political scientist Dr Paul Williams said he agreed, with the right candidates, the Coast’s seats could become ‘battlegrounds’.

“There’s no doubt even a safe Liberal seat on the Gold Coast could be at risk under the current circumstances to a well-positioned and well-known centrist independent candidate with a pre-established profile.

Labor Senator Murray Watt (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

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“Moncrieff, McPherson or Fadden are not like country NSW - they’re not going to fall to a right wing populist but they could go to an independent who had a profile.”

Labor has preselected candidates and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten visited the city earlier this month where he talked up the party’s chances.

Senator Watt said: “Ms Abbott’s email is an incredible admission of failure by the LNP.

“If the LNP actually delivered for the Gold Coast rather than spend their time feathering their own nest they would not be under pressure in the way that Ms Abbott admit.”

Meaghan Scanlon. Picture: Jerad Williams