Qld: Court to rule on Liberal battle

AAP General News (Australia)
08-03-2001
Qld: Court to rule on Liberal battle

BRISBANE, Aug 3 AAP - The Supreme Court will rule today on a bitter preselection feud
within the Queensland Liberal Party.

Queensland Liberal party president John Herron is being sued, along with his 26-member
state executive, over a decision to hold a limited preselection in the former blue-ribbon
Liberal seat of Ryan in Brisbane.

Labor's Leonie Short holds the federal seat by 244 votes after winning it in a by-election
on March 17.

Failed Ryan by-election candidate Bob Tucker has launched civil action against his
party on behalf of the state's 6,000 Liberals, demanding the party overturn a decision
to give only 85 out of a possible 635 party members a vote in the preselection ballot
on Sunday.

However, Liberal Party lawyers have labelled Mr Tucker cynical, insisting the decision
has been made in the party's best political interests.

Mr Howard publicly backed Mr Tucker in the wake of the by-election loss but has now
refused to enter the debate, saying the preselection process is a state branch matter.

The state party's 26-page constitution is at the centre of the dispute, with Liberal
Party lawyers arguing a limited preselection is allowed in "exceptional" circumstances.

Mr Morris questioned whether the courts had the power to rule on the issue.

Liberal lawyers also said it would take 32 days to cross-check the details of a prospective
1,100 voters with the electoral roll.

Mr Tucker's barrister, Pat Keane, QC, told the court the limited ballot was designed
to disenfranchise Ryan voters.

Six candidates will vie for preselection, including Mr Tucker, Brisbane solicitor Matt
Boland and Brisbane barrister Michael Johnson.

Justice John Muir has reserved his decision until 3.30pm (AEST) today.

AAP ap/sc/pjo/wjf/sb

KEYWORD: LIBS QLD DAYLEAD

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