QLD Senator Gerard Rennick appeals after being booted off LNP Senate ticket
Anti-vax-mandate Senator Gerard Rennick has lodged a formal appeal over alleged irregularities: ‘There wasn’t even a roll call.’
Controversial Queensland Senator Gerard Rennick has lodged a formal appeal with the Liberal National Party after he was booted off the Senate ticket for the next election.
Senator Rennick lost his spot by just three votes to party treasurer Stuart Fraser in a hard-fought preselection battle on Friday last week.
The LNP’s state council backed Mr Fraser 131 votes to Senator Rennick’s 128, after the sitting senator was challenged over his “party loyalty” at the closed-door meeting.
Former accountant Senator Rennick was seen as a renegade in party ranks, after he withdrew his vote for the Morrison government in 2021 in protest against Covid-19 vaccine mandates. But others saw him as the best chance of holding onto the LNP’s third Senate spot, particularly in a contest with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation’s Malcolm Roberts.
Several party sources told The Weekend Australian Senator Rennick had lodged the formal appeal after concerns about alleged “irregularities” with last week’s vote.
“There were definitely issues on the day,” one LNP source said. “There wasn’t even a roll call.”
LNP state director Ben Riley – who is marshalling party volunteers for the Fadden by-election on the Gold Coast on Saturday – declined to comment on Senator Rennick’s appeal.
“We don’t comment on candidate selection processes,” Mr Riley said.
Senator Rennick saw off a challenge from registered lobbyist Nelson Savanh – as well as Senator Rennick’s former staffer Mitchell Dickens and another former LNP staffer Sophia Li – before confronting Mr Fraser in the final round of voting.
Senator Rennick did not answer calls from The Weekend Australian. In a public statement this week, he thanked the LNP and the “grassroots members” for the “opportunity they have given me to represent the people of Queensland”.
“I will continue to represent the LNP in the Senate for the next two years,” he said.
“While I am disappointed I did not receive the party’s re-endorsement in this preselection, I remain committed to fighting for Queensland constituents and those who have sought my assistance over the years.”
He did not indicate he would appeal.
Only LNP state councillors are allowed to vote at Senate preselections. The ranks include elected Queensland state and federal MPs, Brisbane City Councillors, and Senators, state executive, Young LNP executive members, the LNP Women executive, policy committee chairs, and regional branch chairs.
Under LNP rules set out in the party’s constitution, “any applicant may appeal to the Disputes Committee against the conduct or result of any selection proceedings on the grounds of unfair treatment or grave irregularity”.
The Disputes Committee may decide to confirm the preselection result or declare the selection void and hold a new vote.
In January, after confirming he would run again, Senator Rennick said he was not expecting the party to protect him, and believed every sitting member should be “scrutinised”.
There is no guarantee the LNP will win enough votes at the next federal election – due in 2025 – to win a third Senate seat in Queensland.
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