LNP RACISM SCANDAL
Youth members ousted after disgusting videos rock State Opposition
THREE young members of the Liberal National Party have been dumped over a “racist” video scandal that has rocked the top echelon of the state conservatives. The Bulletin yesterday obtained videos of party members making “casually racist” remarks about indigenous Australians and calling Chinese people “chikedy chongs”. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk demanded Opposition leader Deb Frecklington apologise after she refused to condemn the behaviour. On six occasions she said the comments were “inappropriate and the party is taking action”.
THE Gold Coast boss of the Young Liberal National Party has been ousted over a “racist” video scandal that has rocked the top echelon of the state conservatives.
The Gold Coast Bulletin yesterday obtained videos of party members making “casually racist” remarks about indigenous Australians at Schoolies last month and calling Chinese people “chikedy chongs”.
Young LNP Gold Coast chair Barclay McGain was one of three LNP members suspended late yesterday.
The scandal went right to the top of state politics with Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk slamming Opposition leader Deb Frecklington’s refusal to come down hard on the comments, which featured on international news sites yesterday.
On six occasions at a press conference, Ms Frecklington would only say the behaviour was “inappropriate and the party is taking action”.
A disgusted Premier demanded Ms Frecklington and the LNP apologise.
“It must be condemned, the video itself must be condemned and actions should be taken against the people who did it,” she said.
State Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch, the first indigenous woman elected to State Parliament, yesterday demanded Ms Frecklington call out “racist elements” within the LNP.
“These kinds of views should not be allowed to simmer within any organisation. Swift action needs to be taken,” she said in a statement. “It’s disturbing on many levels.”
The first video, filmed during Schoolies, was posted to the Young LNP’s own Facebook page late on Monday afternoon, but was deleted within three hours.
It shows Mr McGain asking Redcliffe-based party volunteer Jake Scott his thoughts on the Australian flag and anthem.
“Not too much to say about it,” Mr Scott says.
“Personally, I am fed up with having all these sports stars stand out on our stages and not sing the national anthem. They are putting our Australian jumper on, they are going to sing the national anthem.
Mr Scott goes on to say: “We got to stop celebrating a culture that couldn’t even invent the bloody wheel for
God sake. We have got to start enjoying and living the western culture.”
Mr McGain declined to comment when approached by the Bulletin yesterday.
“Nothing to say about it, thanks,” he said.
The second video shows Mr McGain impersonating US President Donald Trump while visiting the Great Wall of China in January 2018.
“I promise I won’t grab them by the pussy,” he says.
“We’re going to build the greatest wall, it is going to be to keep out the Mexicans, not the Mongolians, or the chikedy chongs, not Genghis Khan bing bong, bing bong.”
The video, posted on the Trump Talks YouTube Channel, has been watched 327 times.
The account’s description says “Barclay McGain bringing the president’s thoughts to us. China, minorities. Let’s make America great again.”
Mr McGain’s behaviour even forced the Robina Lions Club to distance itself from him last night. A message of support Mr McGain posted on the club’s Facebook page three years ago came under attack from members of the public following yesterday revelations.
In a short statement yesterday, the LNP said: “The post was removed and the members involved will be subject to the LNP’s internal disciplinary process. All LNP members are expected to uphold the values of the party at all times.
“The Liberal National Party, as well as its predecessor parties, have proudly embraced the history and culture of indigenous Australians, and advanced more than any other party indigenous representation in the Australian Parliament.”
Asked to comment after the Schoolies video aired, leading Gold Coast indigenous figure Rory O’Connor said the video was “out of touch”.
However, he said he did not want the people involved “victimised”.
“Young LNP made a big mistake and I think they’ll realise that when they get older,” said Mr O’Connor, the director at the Yugambeh Museum.
“This person is young and they probably need to learn more about the history of their space so they can live, probably, a more profitable life.
“Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal people share the same history.”
“RACISM is not tolerated, anywhere or anytime – full stop.
“Any member of the LNP alleged to have made racist comments will have their membership suspended, and if an investigation confirms their guilt, they cannot return to the party. They are finished.
“A young person joining our party must know the LNP supports constitutional democracy, and governments that are responsible to the people, dedicated to enhancing the quality of life and fostering society that offers opportunity to all.
“We acknowledge our diverse religious heritage and freedom of belief. We are committed to cultivating a cohesive and compassionate community in which all may feel safe and secure and where individual initiative is rewarded.”
This was all LNP leader Deb Frecklington needed to say yesterday.
The first line is what this newspaper believes was the most important statement a political leader could have made yesterday.
The rest can be found on the LNP website under the section What We Believe.
Under that banner it says the LNP in Queensland stands for “a tolerant and diverse society without exploitation”.
What happened yesterday was some of its younger members failed miserably to meet those standards.
A video at Schoolies showed young LNP members laughing about comments regarding indigenous culture. One of them criticised a “culture that couldn’t even invent the bloody wheel”. Later more footage emerged of a racial slur against the Chinese, shot on the Great Wall of China, referring to them as “chikedy chongs”.
There has been talk in Gold Coast political circles recently about the emergence of a new class of LNP members, who have had privileged schooling and access to the offices of power, fuelled by extreme right-wing views and lacking the balance from a grounded life of hard work away from the political bubble.
The behaviour of some of them has put the spotlight on Ms Frecklington’s leadership.
From Opposition, much of the daily grind of politics is getting media attention and some traction highlighting an embarrassment by the Government.
At a press conference yesterday, Ms Frecklington, a real chance to be the next Premier, refused to say what action her party was taking. On six occasions to similar questions by journalists, she offered the following response: “Look, this is inappropriate, and the party is taking action.”
The real shock was not so much the words being uttered from the mouths of these youths. It was the words left unsaid by their leader.