REMEMBER WHEN

Thursday September 3, 2009

EMBATTLED State Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek looked set to see out the year in the top job.

Despite speculation that he would be forced out of the leader’s office, sources said he would not be challenged by senior Liberal National Party MPs “in the near future”.

The Surfers Paradise MP had endured a string of scandals since taking over the leadership from Lawrence Springborg following the state election.

He defended his slip-ups. ‘‘I’m happy to admit that I make mistakes. Many other politicians can’t do it but I’m happy to say that I have made mistakes and I will in the future,’’ he said.

The ‘honest’ approach left Mr Langbroek vulnerable to stinging attacks from Premier Anna Bligh’s attack dog ministers, who again hurled abuse at him in parliament.

Mr Langbroek wrongly accused the Australian Workers Heritage Centre of funnelling more than $70,000 of taxpayers’ money to the Labor Party.

It was later revealed that his LNP colleague, Vaughan Johnson, was a board member and the money was legally transferred to Labor Holdings as part of a loan repayment.

‘‘It was a mistake. It’s something we’ve moved to correct in terms of our strategy. It was a mistake and we’ve learned from that,’’ he said.

‘‘We were trying to get hits on the Government and we didn’t.’’

Mr Langbroek said he should have spoken to Mr Johnson before launching the attack in parliament.

‘‘He was at the dentist. I went to speak to him but he was at the dentist, so I didn’t get a chance to speak to him. He’s a good mate. He’ll be fine,’’ said Mr Langbroek.