LABOR leader Kevin Rudd has shown his true form in Central Queensland with his covert fix on the ALP’s Flynn preselection.

Fresh from a visit to Gladstone and the coal fields to reassure the industry of its strong future under the Coalition Government, Queensland Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce said: “It is pretty evident that if you talk to Kevin Rudd the deal gets done.”

Senator Joyce was referring to a report in today’s Australian Financial Review where Mr Rudd had asked the ALP National Executive to install his choice of candidate, lawyer Chris Trevor, despite the fact that the local party members had voted for Daniel Rochford.

“This Chris Trevor is about to benefit from well timed Kevin Rudd largess,” Senator Joyce said.

“I look forward to another 45 minute media conference with Kevin Rudd telling us everything but what happened.

“My punt is that the local favoured candidate Mr Rochford is about to find himself a plum job as part of a ‘go quietly’ deal.

“The only way to prove or disprove this is to watch this space.”

The up-coming preselection is likely to be the second time Mr Rochford has been kneecapped by out-of-town party heavies.

In the first pre-selection ballot, which he won, Mr Rochford was overruled in favour of Jennifer Algie as part of an affirmative action program.

“This is ‘take the locals for granted’ politics being played out again by the Labor Party,” Senator Joyce said.

Meanwhile, The Nationals candidate, Glenn Churchill, who was chosen by the local members in a truly democratic ballot, was busily reassuring the coal industry it would have a safe future under a re-elected Coalition Government.

“We all know what the alternative minister for the environment, Peter Garrett, will do to coal jobs in Central Queensland.

“I am sure Mr Garret has put the fear of God in to anyone in Central Queensland who has a mortgage and relies on a pay packet from coal to service it,” Senator Joyce said.