LNP stays with Henry Pike to replace Laming

The Liberal National Party will stick with the candidate picked to replace dumped Queensland MP Andrew Laming after an internal investigation made “adverse findings” against him.

Henry Pike will be the LNP candidate for Bowman. Pic Mark Cranitch.

The Liberal National Party will stick with the candidate picked to replace dumped Queensland MP Andrew Laming despite an initial ­internal investigation making “adverse findings” against him.

A vote from the LNP state council on Friday determined Henry Pike would remain as the candidate to replace Mr Laming in the blue-ribbon Coalition seat of Bowman.

The LNP’s disputes committee had investigated accusations Mr Pike or his supporters interfered with the preselection process by allegedly asking ­another candidate to drop out of the race.

The committee said an ­“adverse finding” had been made and the matter was put to the state council for a vote on Friday.

“As reported in the media, a local member raised a number of concerns regarding the Bowman preselection process,” LNP president Lawrence Springborg said in a letter to members on Friday. “The disputes committee reported its findings to the state executive.

“While understanding the concerns, there is no basis to overturn the choice made by members and Henry Pike will be the candidate for Bowman.”

Mr Pike’s preselection last month was met with some criticism because he was the only male in a five-way fight, despite calls from Scott Morrison for a “strong female” to be picked.

His supporters have previously said the complaints were “sour grapes from those backing defeated candidates”.

One Queensland coalition MP said the party’s public fight over Mr Pike’s preselection had been unnecessarily damaging.

“We’re talking about ourselves now,” the MP said. “It’s bad politics and should have been resolved at state convention. We shouldn’t be putting at risk a seat with a 10 per cent margin.”

Mr Pike, a Property Council adviser, won the LNP’s endorsement over party legal ­adviser Maggie Forrest by 19 votes. He also defeated three-time Redlands mayor Karen Williams.