Gerard Rennick sues LNP over Senate ticket loss in ‘unprofessional’ internal ballot

Queensland LNP Senator Gerard Rennick narrowly lost his bid for preselection last year in an ‘unprofessional’ internal ballot, a court has heard.

Gerard Rennick outside the Brisbane Supreme Court on Friday. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Queensland Liberal National Party senator Gerard Rennick narrowly lost his bid for preselection last year in an “unprofessional” internal ballot that gave ineligible party members a vote and wrongly refused Peter Dutton his right to send a representative to back his parliamentary colleague, a court has heard.

In an extraordinary move, Senator Rennick launched legal action in Brisbane’s Supreme Court to force the LNP to allow him to appeal to the party’s governing body, the state council, over the outcome of the preselection last year that saw him booted-off the LNP senate ticket.

The first-term senator lost his spot in the ballot on July 7 last year by just three votes to party treasurer Stuart Fraser.

An internal LNP probe later found that at least two LNP members who were ineligible to vote were allowed to vote and gave their support to Mr Fraser.

Last year, The Australian revealed the LNP had not conducted a roll call of voters on the day of the ballot and gave conflicting advice about the delivery of proxies on behalf of several senior elected politicians unable to attend the meeting.

Federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton – a permanent member of the state council – was incorrectly told by LNP headquarters that he was ineligible to vote because he was not able to attend the ballot.

Nationals leader David Littleproud and Brisbane Mayor Adrian Schrinner, who were also absent but were given approval to send representatives, backed Mr Fraser.

Despite the “irregularities”, Senator Rennick’s attempts to appeal the preselection were denied after the LNP determined his appeal was not lodged within the statutory 60-day timeframe.

LNP Treasurer and Senate candidate Stuart Fraser.

“Much of the evidence relied upon by the Senator paints a picture of a state council meeting which was run in an unprofessional manner,” Michael Stewart KC, representing Senator Rennick, told the court on Friday.

Mr Stewart said one LNP member gave evidence that he was given a voting paper by an LNP employee, despite the fact he was not eligible to vote.

“He properly rejected this,” Mr Stewart said.

Senator Rennick further alleges Brisbane City councillor Lisa Atwood was ineligible to vote at the time of the ballot as she had not paid her party fees on time, but was still able to cast a vote.

Mr Stewart told the court the party was to blame for the delay they were using to block the Senator’s attempts to be heard.

“There is a considerable body of conduct engaged in by the state executive, its lawyers and leader of the state executive, its president Lawrence Springborg, that all contributed to the delay that has occurred,’’ he said.

Peter Dunning, representing the respondents, told the court the matter was not about a Senate position and preselection.

“It’s about is there a time where a notice of appeal can be lodged and, if so, what is it?” he said.

Mr Dunning argued Senator Rennick’s application also failed because the dispute was not justiciable in the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Justice Glenn Martin is considering his decision.