‘Townsville can’t risk electing Troy Thompson 2.0’: LNP deputy leader Jarrod Bleijie on Katter’s candidate Michael Pugh

Jarrod Bleijie has launched a blistering attack on a Katter candidate’s past, as he pointed to the election of Townsville’s mayor as a warning to voters to do their research before heading to the polls.

Jarrod Bleijie has launched a blistering attack on a Katter candidate’s past, as he pointed to the election of Townsville’s mayor as a warning to voters to do their research before heading to the polls.

Mayor Troy Thompson has just hours to respond to a show-cause notice as to why he should not be removed from his position for 12 months, as both Premier Steven Miles and LNP leader David Crisafulli again called his position “untenable”.

He is currently the subject of a Crime and Corruption investigation over misrepresenting his military, business and university qualifications. No findings have been made.

At a press conference joining his leader in Townsville Monday, Mr Bleijie quoted a Bulletin article published in June about Mundingburra KAP candidate Michael Pugh, who had revealed his 18-month suspended prison sentence from the early 2000s.

“If people in North Queensland vote for the Katter party or minor independents, minor parties, there’s a real risk they get Steven Miles, there’s a real risk they get Troy Thompson 2.0 because of the unknown in this area,” Mr Bleijie said.

Mr Bleijie paraphrased highlighted parts of the article which revealed Mr Pugh had used a sheathed bayonet in a Currajong home invasion to collect a drug debt, and had pleaded guilty to stealing with violence and burglary in the early 2000s.

He was one of three people to break into the Palmerston St home on May 5, 2002.

Mr Bleijie compared Mundingburra’s LNP candidate Janelle Poole, a long-serving police officer, to Mr Pugh’s criminal history and said it was an “unprecedented” past for a political candidate, which he said showed the minor party was not taking North Queensland voters seriously.

“He has a history in law, but it’s not a good history, it’s not like Janelle just spoke about being an enforcer of law, the Katter party candidate has been on the wrong side of the law,” Mr Bleijie said.

“Now they seriously think by putting this type of individual as their candidate is going to address the issues of the youth crime crisis, it’s not.”

Mr Bleijie said it was inappropriate for Mr Pugh to be elected and to represent Mundingburra, especially amid the youth crime crisis.

Katter's Australian Party Mundingburra candidate Michael Pugh. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Despite Mr Pugh’s admissions to the media, the LNP deputy leader did not accept his apology.

“It’s serious offences he committed and I don’t think someone like that should be serving in Parliament,” Mr Bleijie said.

“People need to know who they are voting for.

“Because it was only through media and the opposition that exposed him and then they released some statement proactively trying to get ahead of the media.

“For goodness sake he was caught out and people need to know this is a KAP candidate.”

Mr Pugh said he revealed his past in June, and that voters had plenty of time to be able to make an informed decision.

“It’s regretful that the LNP has had to go back 22 odd years to…dig up some dirt and push this message about me,” Mr Pugh said.

He said the “circuit breaker” for himself was standing in front of the judge within the court, and that this allowed him to move on with his life.

“And that is exactly what I did and I have not looked back since,” Mr Pugh said.

He added he would not “sink into the gutter tactics of the major parties”, but he believed their attacks on his criminal history would backfire on them.

“If there’s something I’ve learned over the last few months, it’s that people can see right through these tactics,” Mr Pugh said.

KAP leader Robbie Katter said the comparison between Mr Pugh’s criminal history from 22 years ago with allegations Mr Thompson misled people on the campaign trail was “bizarre”.

“Queensland deserves a lot better from the government in waiting,” Mr Katter said.

Mr Katter said the party “gave it consideration” when looking at Mr Pugh’s criminal history and decided to name him as a candidate anyway.

The party had a long-term policy of allowing blue cards to be accepted by those with a past criminal history, and it would be hypocritical to reject a candidate on the same grounds.

“I think the real quote is, we’re interested in real people, and real people have a history - warts and all.”

Originally published as ‘Townsville can’t risk electing Troy Thompson 2.0’: LNP deputy leader Jarrod Bleijie on Katter’s candidate Michael Pugh