Gold Coast Young LNP: ‘This will stay with them for the rest of their lives’

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington has apologised for the actions of the party’s junior members after a ‘racism’ scandal engulfed the Gold Coast’s youth LNP branch.

OPPOSITION leader Deb Frecklington has offered a short apology for a “racist” video posted by the Young LNP Gold Coast branch.

Ms Frecklington was this morning called out by the Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who demanded she apologise for the “racist comments” in the controversial footage.

Three young LNP members, including the Gold Coast branch president, were suspended over the video in which a comment was made denigrating indigenous culture.

Speaking in Brisbane this morning Ms Frecklington again labelled the actions of the young LNP members as “inappropriate”.

“Look, yesterday I said the comments were inappropriate, I said the party will act and the party has acted,” Ms Frecklington said.

“Within 24 hours the party has acted and they suspended those three young men. I apologise for the comments and the party has acted.”

A journalist then asked: “When did you apologise?

 “I just apologised,” she said.

Gold Coast's Young LNP chair Barclay McGain, was captured laughing at "racist" comments in a video that's now been widely circulated on Facebook - Photo Supplied Facebook

Ms Frecklington said the press conference in Brisbane was her first opportunity to apologise. “I think it is important to note I have been measured and consistent with my statements,” she said.

“I said it was inappropriate, the comments were inappropriate the party said the comments were inappropriate.

“The LNP party president acted as soon as humanly possible and suspended these party members, I do think it is incumbent upon leaders not to inflame a situation such as this. 

“These comments are inappropriate, I’ve said it and I’ll keep saying it.”

Ms Frecklington took a swipe at the Premier, suggesting her condemnation of this situation was hypocritical.

“Let’s just put a few things on the table here,” she said. “Annastacia Palaszczuk has never apologised for Micheal Daley’s racist slur, never apologised for Paul Pisasale, never apologised for Dave Hanna.”

The opposition leader said she believes those involved had “learnt their lesson.”

“We have these three young people who I am quite sure this will effect the rest of their life,” she said. “I am quite sure they have learnt their lesson.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk meeting members of the Southport SLSC this morning. Picture: Jerad Williams

Earlier Ms Palaszczuk, speaking at Southport Surf Lifesaving Club, had blasted Ms Frecklington’s handling of the videos.

Ms Palaszczuk said it was “not good enough”.

“I call upon the leader of the Opposition to apologise for those racist comments,” she said.

“I do not think it is good enough – leadership requires you step up to the plate.

“She needs to come out strongly today and condemn that or otherwise the people across Queensland will think that is stock standard views of the LNP.

“Maybe they need to do an investigation (into whether the Gold Coast Young LNP has a racism problem).

“It is very alarming - we are talking about having a treaty with our First Nation people and is disappointing that in this day and age these views would be out there.”

On six occasions at a press conference yesterday, Ms Frecklington would only say the behaviour was “inappropriate and the party is taking action”.

Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch this morning said in a statement that Ms Frecklington had experienced “her Campbell Newman moment”.

“She might be Campbell Newman’s apprentice but her party offended Australia’s First Nations peoples, and that deserves an unreserved apology,” she said.

The Gold Coast Bulletin yesterday obtained videos of party members making “casually racist” remarks about indigenous Australians at Schoolies last month and calling Chinese people “chikedy chongs”.

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Deb Frecklington and Gold Coast's Young LNP chair Barclay McGain - Photo Supplied

The first video, filmed during Schoolies, was posted to the Young LNP’s own Facebook page late on Monday afternoon, but was deleted within three hours.

It shows Young LNP chair Barclay McGain asking Redcliffe-based party volunteer Jake Scott his thoughts on the Australian flag and anthem.

“Not too much to say about it,” Mr Scott says.

“Personally, I am fed up with having all these sports stars stand out on our stages and not sing the national anthem. They are putting our Australian jumper on, they are going to sing the national anthem.

“We got to stop celebrating a culture that couldn’t even invent the bloody wheel for God sake. We have got to start enjoying and living the western culture.”

The second video shows Mr McGain impersonating US President Donald Trump while visiting the Great Wall of China in January 2018.

“I promise I won’t grab them by the pussy,” he says.

“We’re going to build the greatest wall, it is going to be to keep out the Mexicans, not the Mongolians, or the chikedy chongs, not Genghis Khan bing bong, bing bong.”