LNP brass facing a grassroots revolt after Queensland election flop

Two LNP branches have moved motions calling for the immediate clean-out of party HQ over links with Clive Palmer.

Links between Clive Palmer and senior LNP officials has caused angst in the party.

Queensland’s Liberal National Party is facing a grassroots revolt after the recent state election defeat, with mounting demands for the resignation of top officials.

Two Brisbane-based LNP branches have moved motions calling for the immediate clean-out of party headquarters over its links with political rival Clive Palmer and poor performance at the October 31 election.

The branch motions were instigated as one of the LNP’s divisional heads, Jenny Goodwin, sent a scathing email to fellow state executive members saying the behaviour of the internal disputes committee, which oversees disciplinary actions against members, had created a culture of “anger, mistrust and bullying”.

Ms Goodwin, the president of the LNP women’s branch, wrote the email after being silenced at a fiery meeting on Friday of the LNP state executive, the party’s governing body, after she tried to raise questions about the internal disciplinary procedures.

“I seriously believe that these questions need to be answered as my time in the party and particularly on the state executive has shown me that this process causes much anxiety and contributes to a culture of anger and mistrust, as well as the accusation of bullying,” she said. “We need to have clear reasons as to why our members are brought before disputes committees.”

In January, The Weekend Australian revealed there was anger within the LNP membership over alleged unfair party expulsions and suspensions and the use of Star Chamber-like candidate vetting and disciplinary hearings to fortify a small group of officials.

There also has been angst over the links of senior LNP officials to Mr Palmer, with party president David Hutchinson forced to resign his position in July after The Australian revealed he was on the payroll of the billionaire.

At the state election, Mr Palmer’s United Australia Party failed to win a seat despite spending millions of dollars in advertising attacking the Palaszczuk Labor government.

On election night senior LNP members and former presidents Bruce McIver, who sits on Mr Palmer’s company boards, Gary Spence and Mr Hutchinson were photographed on Mr Palmer’s yacht. The LNP had a net loss of three seats at the election, including two electorates that have not been won by Labor in more than a century.

Last weekend the LNP branch in the federal seat of Lilley unanimously supported a no-confidence motion in several senior officials, calling for the resignation of state director Michael O’Dwyer and campaign director Lincoln Folo.

“The Lilley FDC expresses its disappointment in the running of the recent elections by the state director, campaign director and those senior party officials involved in the campaign. We wish to convey a vote of no confidence in their ability to win future elections, and ask that they resign forthwith,” the motion — sent to all other branches — reads.

The Australian understands on Monday night at the Brisbane River City Women’s Branch a similar resolution was planned, calling for the resignations of those officials, as well as for the role of the powerful president’s committee to be debated at state conference.

Gold Coast lawyer Bernard Ponting, who had served as a past honorary legal adviser and as a member of the disputes committee, resigned last month.

Two legal actions have been launched by LNP members over their treatment by the disputes committee.

Mrs Goodwin’s son, David – a former Senate candidate and businessman – has a District Court defamation action over the suspension of his membership by the committee last year.

Lawyers for former LNP Brisbane City councillor Kate Richards served a notice of concern to all state executive members over a possible defamation action after she was referred by the LNP’s disputes committee to the Crime and Corruption Commission and lost her endorsement ahead of the March elections.

Ms Richards was later cleared of any wrongdoing by the watchdog.