Liberal Party figures rally around ousted mayor Brendan Blomeley
The Liberal Party’s internal ructions over the expulsion of Clarence mayor and party veteran Brendan Blomeley are continuing. Find out what leaked minutes showed.
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An internal split in the Liberal Party has deepened with senior figures rallying around Clarence mayor Brendan Blomeley who continues to defy his expulsion.
Leaked minutes of a special Franklin electorate committee meeting on April 11 show former government minister Peter Hodgman and Clark electorate committee chair Corey Mingari critical of party president Michael McKenna.
The party’s state executive has supported Mr McKenna’s decision to expel Mr Blomeley for not ruling out that he may have stood as an independent at the March state election but 85 members met last month to denounce the move.
The minutes are contained in an email to members sent on Monday by Mr Blomeley who has called a Franklin electorate meeting for April 30.
Mr Hodgman wrote that he was “appalled” by Mr McKenna’s actions.
“I have been a member of the Liberal Party for 38 years, and this is the most stupid action I have ever seen made by any President of our Party,” he said.
Mr Mingari expressed his support for Mr Blomeley and “my disappointment, disgust, and bewilderment at how this has all transpired”.
“As the Clark chair and a long-time member of both our party and State Executive, I can assure you that this is the most biased misinterpretation of our party’s constitution that I have ever experienced,” he said.
“While this is not the first instance I have seen our constitution weaponised and applied in a fashion that suits certain individuals agenda’s, I remain nonetheless equally shocked and angered that our State President has the gall and arrogance to do this so openly.”
Mr Mingari was critical of Mr McKenna for not sharing his legal advice on the expulsion and said it was clear he felt “threatened” by Mr Blomeley’s popularity.
“Yet this ‘black and white advice must remain secretly the sole domain of the hidden powerbrokers as it is ‘not in the best interests of the party’ to share,” he said.
“I implore you to not give up, to not be disheartened. I assure you that Clark is behind you. We cannot, should not, and will not, allow the State President and his cadre of blind followers to triumph. They have done more than enough damage to our party.”
Another member said: “It might be worth noting that this is the third lowest Liberal primary vote statewide in the last 45 years. I would have thought the President might want to pay more attention to this!”
“I cannot believe the stupidity of the State President and those that support him. It is sheer madness,” another wrote.
Mr Blomeley urged members to attend next week’s meeting to “maintain our engagement on this issue”.
Liberal Party state director Peter Coulson said the party did not comment on internal matters.
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