David Crisafulli vengeful, says ex-LNP official

The Queensland LNP’s former administrative treasurer has criticised the ‘vengeful campaign’ against ex-president Cynthia Hardy who was replaced by Lawrence Springborg.

Queensland LNP leader David Crisafulli. Picture: Glenn Hunt

The Queensland Liberal National Party’s former administrative treasurer has criticised the “vengeful campaign” against former president Cynthia Hardy, who was replaced by Lawrence Springborg on Saturday.

Life member Lynton Rose resigned under pressure during the party’s state convention on Sunday after serving in the role of treasurer for less than a year, removing nearly all traces of the former LNP organisational hierarchy.

In a scathing resignation letter to LNP state director Tony Eyres, Mr Rose said the campaign from within the party to overthrow acting president Ms Hardy had been “deceitful”, pointing blame at parliamentary leader David Crisafulli.

“The actions over the weekend … was the culmination of a sustained, well-planned campaign, filled with vengeance and deceit towards the acting president by the leader of the parliamentary party and obviously supported by a large number of his colleagues,” Mr Rose said in the letter.

“It was waged against a very committed, hard-working acting president who, continuously, during at least the last six months of my appointment as treasurer, sought co-operation and espoused co-operation, with the leader, and was continuously shunned and mercilessly brought down by his actions.

“To then go on in his speech and make the point that he sees the future going forward, with unity and not the vengeance of the past, is utter hypocrisy.”

A spokesman from Mr Crisafulli’s office said the opposition leader would not comment on internal matters.

“On the weekend, we resolved to stop talking about ourselves and the Leader of the Opposition meant it,” he said.

The clean-out of the former hierarchy was fuelled by anger over a perceived weakening of democratic principles and closeness with political rival Clive Palmer.

An LNP source said Mr Rose was a casualty because he was ­appointed under the old regime.

“That was about total and utter bloodletting,” the source said.

“They said it wasn’t about revenge – well they sacked the treasurer, basically. It’s just about the MPs taking over.”

The insider said some of the anger directed at Mr Rose had come from state MPs who had been incensed when he told them they needed to honour a clause in their candidate contracts that they must give a portion of their salary to the party.

The LNP women’s committee voted out its leader, Julie Goodwin, replacing her with moderate Melina Morgan.