Thu, 25 Jun 2026 23:55:51 +1000WeeblyThu, 11 Dec 2014 09:54:11 GMThttp://www.stevebishop.net/lnp-lied-about-newman-making-ldquospectacular-personal-comebackrdquo/-lnp-lied-about-newman-making-spectacular-personal-comeback Why did the LNP lie to respected journalist Madonna King in October when it claimed that internal polling showed that Premier Campbell Newman had made a “spectacular personal comeback”?

Recent polls make a mockery of the party’s claim, reported in the Brisbane Times, that the Premier’s “shocking negative personal ratings ratings” had “evened out”

ReachTEL found that in April this year 50% of respondents rated Mr Newman’s performance as poor or very poor. In December the figure is 48.5%.

Worse, Galaxy’s figures show that far from making a comeback, the Premier is now viewed even more unfavourably. While 55% of people were disappointed or strongly disappointed with the Premier’s performance in May, that figure had climbed to 61% by November.

Newspoll’s last research in Queensland was in September but its figures give no encouragement to the LNP. It recorded a steady increase in the number of people dissatisfied with the Premier’s performance – apart from a blip in June this year – from 45% in March 2013 to 54% in September.

However, the most significant finding in political polls is the way in which people say they intend to vote.

Polls suggest the LNP Government is fighting to avoid becoming a one-termer.

It is desperately trying to regain control by spending millions of dollars of our money on advertising designed to persuade us to vote LNP.

The words “Authorised by the Queensland Government, Brisbane” appear frequently on television screens, in newspapers, on radio and on computer screens.

But four polls show this might not be enough to save it.

Newspoll shows there has been a steady decline – apart from a blip in June this year – from a primary vote of 49.7% at the 2012 election to only 39% in September, its latest poll.

But it puts the LNP 54%-46% ahead on a two party preferred basis.

Galaxy has revealed a steady decline from 43% in May this year to 37% last month, with a two party preferred vote of 50-50.

Roy Morgan also has the LNP and ALP involved in a photo finish, with the LNP ahead by only half a per cent.

ReachTEL says its research showed the LNP climbing to 56.5% in July 2012 but plummeting to 39.2% in November, with a December poll showing Newman set to lose his Ashgrove seat on a two party preferred basis by 55 % to 45%. It has the ALP at 51% across the State.

These are certainly not the figures which would have resulted from a spectacular personal comeback by the Premier.

Political parties value their internal polling so much that only a handful of inner circle leaders are normally privvy to the figures which are guarded like the crown jewels.

So why would the LNP even pretend to reveal its precious research?

The most likely reason for the clumsy lie is that it was trying convince key staff that the party was in with every chance of retaining government at the 2015 election.

It will need every spin doctor and every specialised advisor to stay on board to try to limit the number of seats it loses.

As I wrote in July: “The most astute of them would have already been updating their CVs ready to find new jobs as soon as possible. They will not want to be among a couple of hundred advisors all competing for a limited number of jobs at the same time when the LNP crashes out of government.”

Many of them are not party hacks but had careers outside of politics before giving up good jobs to join the LNP government. And many of them, with families and mortgages to consider, must now be fearful about their futures.

The lies led to a major story in Brisbane Times but staff will now have seen the truth about the LNP’s phony polling.

They will have been further rattled by Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie saying if the Premier can’t win Ashgrove there is a real chance the LNP will be kicked out of government.

And now the Premier has admitted that so many people have turned against his Government that the ALP could win the election.

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