Queensland Labor MP Peter Russo tries to boot critic from party

Palaszczuk government MP Peter Russo has moved to have one of his constituents expelled from the Labor Party, accusing the construction consultant of undermining him.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey and Member for Toohey Peter Russo.

Palaszczuk government MP Peter Russo has moved to have one of his constituents expelled from the Labor Party, accusing the branch member of undermining him and referring to the premier as “the Chook”.

In a letter sent to state secretary Julie-Ann Campbell during the election campaign in October, Mr Russo accused construction consultant and longtime Labor member Max Hooper of campaigning against him over funding for a railway overpass in the southern Brisbane suburb of Coopers Plains.

“I urgently request that you call an administration committee meeting to have Max Hooper discharged from the Australian Labor Party,” Mr Russo wrote.

“Max continues to undermine me and he campaigns against me, both as the sitting member, and as the endorsed candidate for Toohey.

“Max’s actions include inciting members of the general community against both me and the Labor government and, in one of his posts, he specifically refers to the Premier as ‘the Chook’.”

In a reply issued this month, Labor assistant state secretary Zac Beers told Mr Hooper the matter had been raised at a meeting of the administrative committee in December and would be referred to a disputes tribunal.

Mr Hooper declined to comment when contacted by The Australian.

In Facebook posts last year to the Coopers Plains Overpass Action Group, which was started in 2014, Mr Hooper said the state government’s insistence that it should not have to meet the government halfway in the cost of the crossing was “absolute c..p”.

“Not a single level crossing in the state of Queensland has ever been upgraded without a minimum 50 per cent funding contribution from the state government,” Mr Hooper said.

“Where is their money?

“Why are we being treated like second-class citizens in Coopers Plains?

“It’s time for CPOAG to get their state mates like Mark Bailey and Peter Russo on board.”

The Morrison government has committed $73m to a new overpass, while $40m will come from Brisbane City Council.

During the October election campaign, the Palaszczuk government pledged $66m towards a new crossing.

The final cost of the project is set to be revealed following a state-funded business case, due to be released this year, but previous estimates had it at $200m, $14m higher than the $186m currently pledged.

A Coopers Plains Acacia Ridge branch member, who did not want to be identified, said the underlying issue was the party’s grassroots members felt they were not being listened to by MPs and that when they spoke out, they were reprimanded.

“It plays into the broader thing with Labor at the moment with branch membership and the fact that branch members need to be able to feel they can push issues without being shut down all the time,” the branch member said.

Mr Russo did not return calls.