Lawrence Springborg elected LNP president as ‘brutal’ purge hits party hierarchy

Founding leader sweeps LNP presidency in a major cleanout following two years of internal brawling.

LNP leader David Crisafulli with MP Amanda Camm. Picture: Tara Croser

Lawrence Springborg has been elected almost unanimously as the president of Queensland’s Liberal National Party, heralding a new era for the embattled party.

Only 37 of about 800 voters at the party’s state convention in Brisbane did not back the Goondiwindi mayor, whose only competition was the relatively unknown Timothy Wright after acting president Cynthia Hardy pulled out at the eleventh hour.

The return of the party’s inaugural Parliamentary leader to its upper ranks has been viewed as a glimmer of hope for grassroots members frustrated by years of infighting and concentrated power among the previous hierarchy.

He was met with a standing ovation from the rank-and-file members gathered at the convention centre in Brisbane as the winner was announced on Saturday.

Mr Springborg was widely expected to win the vote but the surprise announcement on Friday night that Ms Hardy would not contest the race made it a foregone conclusion.

In an email to members, she cited the mood for change and the need for unity as reasons for her decision.

“And with respect for that mood for change I am writing to inform you that I will not be contesting the ballot for President tomorrow,” the email said.

Mr Springborg served as an MP from 1989 to 2017, including several stints as party leader.

The LNP’s founding leader was the clear favourite to be elected in a cleanout of the party’s hierarchy after two years of internal brawling.

Mr Springborg’s appointment signals a fresh start ahead of the federal election and secure the increased influence in the party of Peter Dutton, who has been manoeuvring behind the scenes to overthrow the so-called “cabal” of Nationals-leaning former high-ranking executives linked to Clive Palmer who have amassed power in the party in recent years.

The shift in hegemony has changed the dynamic of the LNP from backroom operators to a party run by politicians, with several former MPs filling key leadership positions at regional and state levels, causing concern among some party members.

A groundswell of anger within the party over the cabal’s influence and the poor performance at last year’s state election has aided the power transfer to Mr Dutton, state parliamentary leader David Crisafulli, and other supporters.

While the federal Coalition has won a majority of Queensland seats at 10 of the past 15 elections, the conservative party’s popularity has not correlated on a state level where the ALP has held power for 27 of the past 32 years.

After building steam in the local branches for months the revolt within the LNP broke out in a closed-door session on the first day of the state constitutional convention on Friday when members voted to scrap the powerful President’s Committee.

“It was brutal,” one senior LNP source, who is not permitted to speak publicly, said. “Every other motion against the existing hierarchy will be passed.”

In a speech to party members, Mr Crisafulli repeated calls for the President’s Committee to be dismantled because its “incredible power” was “counterintuitive” to the democratic ideals of the party.

The vote for party president will be held on Saturday, with Mr Springborg tipped to win the job over current acting president Cynthia Hardy and nominee Timothy Wright. “(Friday) was about the grassroots, tomorrow is about the top of the tree,” a source close to Mr Crisafulli said.

Mr Springborg is not the only former MP to aspire to an organisational leadership position in recent months. Former MPs Michael Trout, Andrew Cripps, Ted Sorensen and Sean Choat have been elected to regional leadership positions while Tim Mander, a sitting MP, represents Brisbane North. Former premier Campbell Newman has been installed as a party trustee.

A party source said it was unconventional for so many current and former politicians to be installed in the organisational wing, adding “extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures”.

“I think you will find once the ship has been steadied, they will leave to make way for others,” the source said. “When things get rocky you want people who know their way around marginal seat campaigning.”

Over the past two years, The Australian has exposed the bitter divisions within the LNP which has been gripped by allegations of branch stacking, unfair party expulsions and suspensions, and the use of star chamber-like candidate vetting and disciplinary hearings to fortify a small group of officials.

The issue came to a head last year when several LNP executives plotted to destabilise the leadership of Deb Frecklington in a bid to replace her before the October state election.

Senior LNP figures, including Mr Dutton, criticised the influence of the cabal at the time.