Bygones are bygones in ALP preference deals

LABOR has gifted preferences to two scandal- ridden candidates – one whose dumping triggered the election and another who photographed his penis plonked in a wine glass.

The ALP has placed Pumicestone MP Rick Williams third on its how- to- vote ticket, despite Premier Annas- tacia Palaszczuk disendorsing him as Labor’s candidate after a complaint from a newspaper owner that he threatened her.

And they have done a deal with ex- Redlands MP Peter Dowling, who lost LNP preselection in 2015 after a sexting scandal involving his mistress.

Mr Williams, who tore up his Labor membership two weeks ago to run as an independent, has also preferenced Labor third, but both he and Labor have denied a formal deal.

Mr Dowling said his camp and Labor had reached a deal to preference each other third in the seat that he hopes to reclaim as an independent.