When the LNP hooked up with Brock Alexander, it missed some red flags

“I’m out for revenge.”

It’s not a political slogan you hear much on a campaign, but these words, sent in a 12:04am text message, reveal Brock Alexander’s open desire to blow up his former party.

Brock Alexander with his teardrop tattoo, the traditional sign of a stint in prison.Credit: Nine News

The twice jailed convicted criminal, now also facing unlawful stalking charges, isn’t too concerned about his looming court case either.

He’s got other fish to fry, proclaiming: “I dream about taking the LNP down.”

Whether he can do that remains to be seen – Alexander is still on the ballot paper under the LNP banner – but the party that’s now disendorsed him is still dealing with the fallout.

This sorry tale starts with the LNP needing a candidate to run in the safe Labor ward of Deagon at the upcoming Brisbane City Council election.

Held by Labor’s Opposition leader Jared Cassidy on an 11.5 per cent margin, the LNP weren’t looking for future leadership material, rather, someone to stick on the ballot paper to show they’re still trying. And so they ended up with Alexander.

Recollections vary as to exactly who approached who, but it’s clear it was a quick marriage of convenience. If only the party had spotted the red flags.

The first signs of trouble were racist and abusive social media posts made by Facebook accounts under the name of Alexander, including some blaming Bruce and Denise Morcombe for the death of their son Daniel.

As Alexander hit the campaign trail, screenshots began circulating in political circles.

The Facebook comments were made by an account under the name of Brock Alexander.Credit: Nine News

The LNP says these social media accounts were not disclosed to them and Alexander firmly denies he made the posts, especially the ones about the Morcombes.

So who was behind them? At first, Alexander told me he believed it was a local Greens member impersonating him. A few days later, he claimed the LNP were responsible.

However, before the accounts were deleted, I found the Brock Alexander account that made comments about the Morcombes was also posting benign comments on Alexander’s mum’s Facebook photos last year. If it was a set-up, the mastermind behind it was playing a long game.

More concerning are Alexander’s current criminal charges. These were discovered through an online court listing that revealed Brock Alexander appeared at Sandgate Magistrates Court in November last year.

A visit to the courthouse registry revealed five charges, including three of unlawful stalking, and two of breaching bail. A drug-related charge had also been withdrawn. The allegations are Alexander stalked a woman, and then broke his bail conditions by stalking her again.

The LNP says it also saw the same court listing, but claims Alexander explained it by saying he was disputing a traffic fine. The party says Alexander submitted a blank criminal history check, and his story was accepted.

Another flag was missed when Alexander presented with a teardrop tattoo on his face, the traditional sign of a stint in prison. It wasn’t visible in official campaign photographs with Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner as Alexander was sporting thick make-up at the time.

He says he did so at the suggestion of the LNP. Not so, says party HQ, who insist Alexander initially hid the tattoo and, when it was discovered, told party bosses it was a tribute to a dead relative.

Happier times: LNP Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner with former Deagon candidate Brock Alexander.

The 25-year-old also explained away photographs of him in United Australia Party merchandise by saying he was supporting a friend.

But while the LNP says Alexander was hiding his criminal past, he certainly wasn’t hiding it from us. Hours after we first revealed Alexander’s criminal charges, he sent me a text with his full criminal history, including convictions for fraud and break and enter.

“Hi Tim,” the text reads. “See attached [criminal history]. Hopefully you can add this to your next segment about me and make the [LNP] party look even worse for endorsing a convicted criminal who has been to jail twice. I’m out for revenge because [of] the bullying within the party, the homophobia and the belittling of its members.”

The LNP denies Alexander ever told them about his criminal history, insisting the first they knew about it was from the 6pm news.

Alexander wasn’t at home when police came knocking, but shared these CCTV images of their visit.Credit: Nine News

The party quickly complained to police, and a fraud investigation is now under way with detectives raiding the Alexander family home and seizing items including a laptop.

It’s understood that part of the investigation is focusing on whether Alexander falsified the criminal record check given to the LNP by passing off someone else’s as his own.

Alexander tells me he is interstate: “Under legal advice, I’ve been told to get out of Dodge, lay low, and not speak to the police whatsoever ... police are grasping at straws because they have nothing on me.”

His next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, a date that, unfortunately for the LNP, coincides with the opening of council pre-poll voting.

The election is on March 16.

Among some LNP members, the rage over Alexander’s preselection is still burning. One tells me: “There’s a perception that party HQ is run like a frathouse. This has done nothing to persuade anyone otherwise.”

Tim Arvier is state political reporter for Nine News.