Political pain persists after Labor expels MP Jimmy Sullivan

The Crisafulli government will weaponise Labor’s caucus expulsion of MP Jimmy Sullivan over alleged DV and drinking issues when state parliament sits next week.

Jimmy Sullivan offers a personal explanation in parliament in February. Picture: John Gass

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The Crisafulli government will weaponise Labor’s caucus expulsion of MP Jimmy Sullivan over alleged domestic violence and drinking issues when Queensland parliament sits next week, as it emerged he was seen drinking a beer at a Labour Day march.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie on Tuesday said the Liberal Nat­ional Party government would pursue ALP Opposition Leader Steven Miles and his deputy, Cameron Dick, for their handling of Mr Sullivan’s matter, alleging it was a test of leadership.

“They have to explain to the people of Queensland when they knew about the allegations of Jimmy Sullivan, why they didn’t publicly disclose the allegations, and why they didn’t take action sooner against the member for Stafford … there were issues raised and the Labor Party failed to act,” Mr Bleijie said.

The Australian understands the LNP is seeking advice from constitutional experts about whether they can use parliamentary rules to force Mr Sullivan to take temporary leave from the parliament.

An extraordinary meeting of the Labor caucus on Monday voted to expel second-term MP Mr Sullivan from the partyroom after it deciding he had breached the terms of a return to work agreement. He will now sit on the crossbench but remain an ordinary grassroots member of the Labor party.

Police were called to a “domestic violence incident” at the MP’s suburban home on the night after Labor’s October state election loss; no criminal charges were laid but officers took civil ­action against him.

Steven Miles speaks after Monday’s extraordinary caucus meeting that voted to expel Labor MP Jimmy Sullivan. Picture: Richard Walker

That action was withdrawn in February, and Mr Miles allowed Mr Sullivan to return to work, as long as he complied with certain conditions.

After the police incident, Mr Sullivan sought medical care and support from the Brisbane Private Hospital for mental health and alcohol issues stemming from the death of his daughter, who was stillborn in April 2019.

The caucus meeting voted to expel him after it was alleged he had failed to show he was receiving ongoing treatment and had broken a promise to not drink at work-related events.

Mr Sullivan, who says Mr Miles’s claims are “completely untrue”, was seen drinking a mid-strength beer with the Australian Workers Union after last week’s Labour Day march.

A spokesman for the AWU said: “By way of a decision of ­caucus and the party’s administrative committee, Mr Sullivan is no longer an endorsed ALP member of parliament. The AWU backs the decisions made by those bodies.”

Mr Sullivan was a member of Mr Dick’s Right faction, and some Labor MPs are questioning how the Right allowed the situation to go on for as long as it did, while acknowledging it was necessary to give Mr Sullivan “ample opportunity to turn his life around”.

Mr Sullivan wrote to his parliamentary colleagues ahead of Monday’s meeting, denying Mr Miles’s allegations and asking to remain in caucus. It is understood he warned that his expulsion would not stop LNP attacks on him and the party.

In a statement, Mr Sullivan said he had “bled for this party” since he was a teenager.

The son of former Labor MP for Stafford Terry Sullivan, Jimmy Sullivan grew up in the ALP and is understood to be very close to federal Labor president Wayne Swan.