Queensland conservatives are preparing for showdown at LNP convention

The powerful conservative faction of Queensland’s LNP is preparing for a major showdown at the annual state convention after Santo Santoro was blocked in bid to join its state executive.

Former Howard government minister and veteran lobbyist Santo Santoro. Picture: Liam Kidston.

The powerful conservative faction of Queensland’s Liberal Nat­ional Party is preparing for a major showdown at the party’s annual state convention after former Howard government minister and veteran lobbyist Santo Santoro was blocked in his bid to join its state executive.

Infighting between the party’s warring conservative and moderate factions erupted again last week after LNP state director Ben Riley declared Mr Santoro was ineligible to become chair of the party’s metro north division.

Mr Santoro’s bid to join the state executive – which has the power to manage all the affairs of the party – comes at a time when state LNP is in the box seat to win government at the October election and has been interpreted by many as a protest against the current direction of party headquarters.

Senior LNP sources have told The Australian that branches across Queensland were preparing to move motions against party HQ at state convention in July – an important policy conference attended by more than 500 card-carrying members.

Motions were also expected to be moved in support of Mr Santoro, senator Gerard Rennick – who was booted off the party’s Senate ticket – as well as former Howard minister Gary Hardgrave and powerbroker David Goodwin, who were both suspended in March after making allegations of branch stacking.

LNP insiders believe dissatisfaction with party HQ stretched beyond the long-running factional war between moderates and conservatives, with former leader Tim Nicholls moving an extraordinary motion against Mr Riley and the LNP secretariat over its decision to block Mr Santoro’s bid.

“Head office is in shambles,” a conservative source said. “This is not just a Left-Right issue.”

A moderate source said it was “hardly an ideological divide when you’ve got pro-abortion Tim Nicholls backing the so-called-conservatives”.

Tim Nicholls. Picture: David Clark

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli. Picture: David Clark

In what could be a most damaging debate for the LNP ahead of the state election in October, resolutions were also being drafted in response to the state parliamentary wing’s support of new emission reduction targets.

Federal Coalition MPs were enraged after the state team, led by David Crisafulli, last month voted in favour of Labor’s target to slash 75 per cent of emissions by 2035. A senior source said rank and file members were angry at the state team and party HQ.

“Someone has to be held accountable,” they said. “They are trying to make us like Labor … we will oppose them with every breath. Queenslanders are well known for their conservative views, practical views, and all of that has gone out the window.”

A source aligned to Senator James McGrath’s moderate faction said: “Anyone who thinks the state MPs are going to sit by and let a bunch of factional terrorists blow up their last chance of winning government has no idea.”