Queensland Senator Gerard Rennick Moved out of Winnable Spot in State Conference

Liberal Senator Gerard Rennick during Senate Estimates at Parliament House in Canberra, April 6, 2022. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

Queensland Liberal Senator Gerard Rennick has been removed from the party’s senate ticket for the next election following a preselection battle at a state convention.

Mr. Rennick lost his spot to long-serving party treasurer Stuart Fraser. The top two spots on the ticket were preselected for Senators Paul Scarr and Susan McDonald.

The senator said he was challenged over his “party loyalty” and that he was a threat to the party’s chances of winning back voters in Brisbane, which the Liberal Party has bled to Labor and the Greens at recent state and federal elections.

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and several other sitting MPs and senators previously backed Rennick.

“[Senator Rennick] has demonstrated he is not afraid to take up the fight in order to defend the values of the LNP ... I ask you to support Gerard as part of my team,” Mr. Dutton said in a written endorsement, reported The Australian.

The senator faced an uphill battle at the convention because moderates within the party were keen to oust Mr. Rennick due to his views on issues such as COVID-19 vaccines and mandates, immigration, renewable energy, and Ukraine.

Mr. Rennick was one of four Australian senators who lodged an order for the release of contracts between the federal government and pharmaceutical companies producing COVID-19 vaccines.

The motion was lodged on Nov. 22, 2022, calling for the Labor health minister to publish the contracts, including details on vaccine efficacy, side effects, and supply of the jab. The motion was later voted down in the Australian Senate.

The Liberal National Party (LNP) thanked Mr. Rennick for his efforts and paid tribute to his advocacy for Queensland which he has represented since 2019 in a Facebook post.

Liberal Party Resolutions

The LNP held a three-day Queensland state convention at Brisbane’s Royal International Convention Centre (RNA Showgrounds) from July 7-9 where LNP members gathered and resolution scores were circulated.

Mr. Dutton and Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli spoke at the event.

Although there were more than 120 open resolutions put forward during the conference (pdf), it is not certain that these policies will make any impact on state and federal elections.

The 129 resolutions give an insight into the issues for LNP members, including controlling microplastics and PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in the state’s water supply, developing a climate and energy policy, and opposing the $2.7 billion (US$1.8 billion) redevelopment of the Brisbane Cricket Ground—more commonly known as ‘the Gabba’—for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Mr. Crisafulli said the weekend will include a large range of policy ideas and motions for the next coalition government.

“There will be several hundred motions debated over the course of the weekend and we are a better political movement for that,” Mr. Crisafulli said, reported AAP.

Key Resolutions on Development

With energy and climate to be of particular focus, the state party calls upon the “next federal Coalition government to support nuclear fusion research that has passed the ‘proof of concept’ stage.”

The science and innovation committee of LNP also called for a commitment to “research, development, and commercialisation of the nuclear fusion process and supporting industries, with a long-term objective of transitioning to nuclear fusion electricity generation.”

The Callide branch of the LNP, located in central Queensland, wanted an LNP state government to protect high-value agricultural land from renewable energy development.

While the Inala branch in Brisbane called for the cancellation of the Queensland Labor government’s 70 percent renewable energy target by 2032 for essential services.

The branch called for a cost-benefit analysis of the plan so far to ensure reliable and affordable electricity for all of Queensland.

While the Clayfield branch, in Brisbane’s wealthier inner-city north, opposed the $7 billion (US$4.7 billion) redevelopment deal of The Gabba stadium with the federal government for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics.

LNP Women Resolutions

LNP Women is a section of the party that encourages more women to become politically engaged, purporting to reflect the issues and concerns of women.

LNP Women has called upon the next federal coalition government to review with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and medical colleges the current treatment of paediatric gender dysphoria. It includes calls for “all puberty blockers, hormone treatment, and surgical intervention be suspended for children under 18 until the review is completed.”

Housing developments for at-risk women and children that “provide accommodation for vulnerable women including women with children escaping domestic violence and women aged 55+” has been called on by LNP Women and the Miller branch, to audit state-owned land and incentivise the release of local government-owned land.

The LNP three-day convention comes ahead of the July 15 by-election of Gold Coast City Council electorate Fadden, after former federal Liberal minister Stuart Robert resigned in May 2023.

LNP currently holds the seat of Fadden by a margin of 10.6 percent with Gold Coast councillor Cameron Caldwell as its candidate.

On June 15, Mr. Crisafulli pledged to deliver Australia’s best public service during his official budget reply and promised to reduce the reliance on consultants and “empower the public service like never before.”

Mr. Crisafulli accused the Palaszczuk government of “obsessing” with the big consulting firms where at least $423 million (US$282 million) was spent on the big four consulting firms in the past five years, or $234,000 (US$156,000) per day.

Queensland’s general elections are held every four years, with the next state election scheduled for Oct. 26, 2024.

Daniel Y. Teng contributed to this report.