Young LNP leader faces racism backlash after schoolies interview
A Young LNP leader in Queensland could be dumped after he was filmed laughing at a teenager saying Australia should āstop celebrating a culture that couldnāt even invent the bloody wheelā.
Barclay McGain, chairman of the Gold Coast Young LNP, is under investigation by his own party over what the stateās Labor government has called disturbing, racist comments about Australian Aboriginal culture.
Mr McGain has been condemned on social media after he was filmed interviewing school leavers on the Gold Coast about whether the Australian flag and anthem should be ākept or ditchedā.
The scandal has spread to the federal political arena amid calls for Prime Minister Scott Morrison to āroot out the extremistsā.
āThis goes beyond a few kids. There is a deep cultural problem in the @LNPQLD that fosters racist and extremist thought,ā Labor Senator Murray Watt tweeted.
āThe Prime Minister must show leadership and root out the extremists from his Queensland ranks.ā
In footage posted online, heās seen laughing when one school leaver says: āIām fed up with having all these sports stars stand out on our stages and not sing the national anthem.
āI mean weāve got to stop celebrating a culture that couldnāt even invent the bloody wheel for Godās sake. Weāve got to start enjoying and living in Western culture.ā
The Gold Coast Young LNP have deleted their Facebook page after publishing this video today. It shows their chair, Barclay McGain laughing at the statement "we gotta stop celebrating a culture that didn't invent the bloody wheel for god sake" speaking about First Nations People. pic.twitter.com/1XzWkXOJeH
ā Dylan Storer (@StorerDylan) December 2, 2019
The young school leaver who made the comments has identified as an LNP volunteer whoās regularly been photographed with senior LNP and Coalition figures including Mr Morrison and former PM Malcolm Turnbull.
The footage was posted on the Gold Coast Young LNPās Facebook page but was removed when the LNP became aware of it on Monday afternoon.
āThe members involved will be subject to the LNPās internal disciplinary process,ā the party said in a statement, adding the material did not reflect the LNPās values and beliefs.
Queensland LNP leader Deb Frecklington refused to be drawn on the scandal, sticking closely to her message.
āIt is inappropriate, the party is doing the right thing and taking action,ā she told reporters, repeating herself five times.
Mr McGain said āthe powers that beā had banned him from commenting about the incident.
āIt has been a whirlwind 24 hours but hopefully I can go back to being a normal 19-year-old. I just have to let it go and move on,ā he said.
State Laborās indigenous Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington must call out racist elements in her party.
āThese kinds of views should not be allowed to simmer within any organisation. Itās disturbing on many levels.ā
Tourism Minister Kate Jones said the LNP ābeing outwardly racistā was a major risk for the Gold Coast as an international tourism destination.
āDeb Frecklington needs to show some leadership and hold the young men in this video to account ⦠Iām calling on her to sack Gold Coast Young LNP chair Barclay McGain.ā
āDeb Frecklington needs to show some leadership and hold the young men in this video to account ⦠Iām calling on her to sack Gold Coast Young LNP chair Barclay McGain.ā
-AAP








