LNP chaos: Clive Palmer ‘pulling puppet strings of faceless men’

Queensland ministers have gone on the attack in parliament after revelations four senior LNP figures were working for Clive Palmer.

Deb Frecklington, left, and Clive Palmer, right

Clive Palmer has been accused of “pulling the puppet strings” of the “faceless men” of Queensland’s Liberal National Party plotting against Opposition leader Deb Frecklington.

Queensland government ministers have gone on the attack in parliament after The Australian revealed four senior LNP figures were working for Mr Palmer, the founder of a rival political party, the United Australia Party.

State Development Minister Kate Jones said LNP president David Hutchinson and former president Bruce McIver worked for Mr Palmer’s companies.

“By day they wear Palmer gold, by night they wear LNP blue...we’ve got Clive Palmer pulling puppet strings of the faceless men of the LNP who want Deb gone.”

Ms Jones also named LNP state executive members Malcolm Cole and Larry Anthony, whose SAS Group does communications work for Mr Palmer’s companies, but Mr Cole and Mr Anthony deny any involvement in the destabilisation campaign against Ms Frecklington.

Ms Frecklington won unanimous support of the 38 LNP MPs to remain as leader on Monday, with LNP headquarters’ preferred leadership contender David Crisafulli ruling out a challenge.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told parliament there was a “huge rift” in the LNP.

“In this time of a global pandemic...they are only interested in themselves,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Treasurer Cameron Dick questioned who was running the LNP.

“Is it the leader of the Opposition, is it the president of the LNP, or is it Clive Palmer?” Mr Dick said.

“This is an unfit rabble unfit to govern Queensland.”

Leader ‘abusing LNP human rights’: Palmer

Mr Palmer slammed Ms Frecklington for “abusing the human rights” of the senior members of her party Mr Palmer employs.

LNP president David Hutchinson, former LNP president Bruce McIver, and state executive members Malcolm Cole and Larry Anthony are all employed by Mr Palmer, directly or indirectly.

Mr Palmer was a life member of the LNP before he fell out with the party during Campbell Newman’s one-term reign as Premier, and started a rival political party.

His United Australia Party has yet to decide whether it will run against the LNP at the October state election, but it is asking for candidate nominations.

Mr Palmer said Ms Frecklington should not criticise senior members of her own party for working for him.

“My companies do not employ people based on their political leanings. I employ people on their ability to add ideas, value and productivity to my companies,’’ Mr Palmer said.

“An individual’s political choice has nothing to do with employment within any of my companies.”

“If they choose to vote for Annastacia Palaszczuk, it is a choice which I respect.”

“The opposition leader Deb Frecklington shouldn’t be attacking my staff. It is an abuse of human rights...anyone who attacks one of my employees runs the risk of being brought to account before the human rights commissioner.”

Mr Palmer said he had previously employed former Labor Deputy Premier Jim Elder – who was forced to resign from that role due to branch-stacking allegations – who brought “an excellent skill set”.

Mr Palmer said Mr Anthony – the federal president of the Nationals and an LNP state executive member – also brought an excellent skill set.

“It is disappointing that Deb Frecklington needs to use my name to gain publicity for her own notoriety,” Mr Palmer said.

Ms Frecklington has challenged Mr Hutchinson to “honour his commitment” to quit one of his dual roles if Mr Palmer’s United Australia Party contests the election.

Mr Hutchinson, a property economist who took a job with Mr Palmer as a property consultant last year, led a failed “backroom” challenge and leaked polling against Ms Frecklington, suggesting she couldn’t beat Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at the October 31 election.

But after Ms Frecklington won the unanimous support of the LNP partyroom on Monday, Mr Hutchinson has fended off internal calls from federal and state LNP MPs to quit.

Queensland Liberal National Party president David Hutchinson. Picture: AAP

“We are livid at the president’s behaviour and have been overwhelmed by calls from party members’ who are disgusted by the activity of Mr Palmer, Mr Hutchinson and (former LNP president) Bruce McIver,’’ a senior federal MP said. “His position is untenable, the message across the party is he must go.’’

The UAP has begun calling for candidate nominations to stand at the October poll, after the controversial billionaire and former federal MP registered the party in Queensland in April.

Mr Hutchinson previously said that if the UAP decided to contest the election, he would quit working for Mr Palmer or quit as LNP president. It is understood he has told party members that he should not be forced to quit as Mr Palmer has not yet decided­ if the UAP would run.

Asked on Tuesday about Mr Hutchinson’s refusal to resign­, Ms Frecklington said: “The ­members of parliament accepted the commitment that was made and expect the commitment will be honoured. I know there are thousands of LNP members who are rock solid on wanting to win this next election, so what I say is if you’re not on board, jump off. But what we’ve got to do is make sure the enemy is the Palaszczuk government.”

Mr Palmer entered the fray late on Monday night, attacking Ms Frecklington and suggesting it was “sad” she had publicly attacked­ her own party.

Mr Hutchinson declined to comment on Tuesday.

Several senior LNP federal MPs said they would refrain from making any public comments in the hope that Mr Hutchinson would agree to go.

LNP federal frontbencher Mich­elle Landry said Ms Frecklington was “doing a great job”.

“She is a hard worker and she stood up to the backroom boys and I say good on her, because being a female in politics is a tough gig,’’ she said.

Federal LNP MP Llew O’Brien said he backed Ms Frecklington and Mr Hutchinson to keep their jobs. “Deb’s a tough operator­ and she’d make a great premier,” Mr O’Brien said. “I’ve seen Dave grow up on the floor of Nationals and LNP conventions and he’s a great guy. I don’t know the details of his job (with Mr Palmer) but I trust his judgment to ensure no conflicts of interest.”

Labor used the LNP’s internal war to attack Ms Frecklington in parliament on Tuesday.

Treasurer Cameron Dick said the opposition was in chaos and the government would not “fight with ourselves like the LNP”.