Unhelpful but leniency prevails for George Christensen

Nationals MP George Christensen will not be sanctioned for urging his party to abandon the federal Coalition.

Queensland Nationals MP George Christensen. Picture Gary Ramage

Outspoken north Queensland Nationals MP George Christensen will not be sanctioned for controversially urging his party to abandon the federal Coalition.

Members of Queensland’s Liberal National Party have previously been issued with formal warnings, suspensions, or expulsions for suggesting the state party demerge, or for being critical of the party’s leaders.

However, The Australian understands no such action will be taken against Mr Christensen, and that convention dictates that sitting MPs are offered more leniency in their critiques of the party.

Mr Christensen — the Nationals MP for the seat of Dawson, based on Mackay — took to Facebook at the weekend to call for an end to the Nationals’ Coalition with the Liberal Party.

“I want to see a National Party in coalition with regional Australia, rather than wedded to a Liberal Party lurching further away from the values we still hold,” Mr Christensen said.

Federal Nationals president Larry Anthony said yesterday he was sure new Nationals leader ­Michael McCormack would be “able to accommodate” Mr Christensen’s renegade style.

“We’re a broad church,” Mr Anthony told Sky Australia yesterday. “(George) has his own style; sometimes it’s not always helpful.”

Mr Christensen put his hand up for the Nationals leadership yesterday, but Mr McCormack easily prevailed.

While Mr Anthony brushed aside Mr Christensen’s comments, some members of the Queensland LNP are angry at yet another outburst from the maverick MP.

One said Mr Christensen’s words could come back to bite him when it came time for preselection ahead of the next federal election.

“His comments were madness,” the LNP member said. “We have long memories.”

Mr Christensen did not return The Australian’s request for ­comment.