Libs fear Johnson influence
Former State minister Rob Johnson is suspected by senior Liberals of orchestrating a bid to install a preferred successor in his blue-ribbon northern Perth seat.
The West Australian has learnt of two recent bulk Liberal Party membership "dumps" that considerably expanded two of the three branches that comprise Mr Johnson's Hillarys electorate.
Senior Liberals believe Mr Johnson, who fell out with Premier Colin Barnett after being sacked from Cabinet in 2012 and losing a bid to become Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, wants to install businessman Simon Ehrenfeld.
Mr Ehrenfeld rejoined the Liberals in July last year, 17 years after masterminding the disastrous campaign to disendorse sitting Federal Liberal MP for Moore Paul Filing ahead of the 1996 election.
Mr Filing won Moore as an independent, humiliating the WA Liberals in the year John Howard swept to power. This month, 32 new membership applications were submitted in bulk to the Padbury branch, mostly from people who lived outside the area and near Mr Ehrenfeld's home suburb of Coolbinia.
It boosted branch membership by more than 30 per cent.
On October 14, 47 applications were submitted to the Hillarys branch, almost entirely from people who live outside the electorate, expanding branch membership by more than a fifth. Several of Mr Johnson's relatives are among the new members.
Mr Johnson, 71, yesterday denied having an anointed successor, telling The West Australian he had not decided whether to stand down.
Asked if he was behind the membership surge, he said: "Anybody that I know of, I always encourage them to join my branch. Some people keep urging me to stay on, so they are asking to become members in support."
Mr Johnson said he knew at least two people "worthy of taking over my seat", but would not confirm one of them was Mr Ehrenfeld who helped his election 22 years ago.
"Simon was very, very active, a huge supporter of mine," he said. "Very intelligent, very good businessman and a good friend. Whatever he does is trying to support me against other influences, you might say."
Tony Krsticevic, Liberal MLA for neighbouring Carine, said Mr Johnson had given the party many years of good service.
"But there comes a time when everyone has to step aside to give others an opportunity to contribute - this includes leaving the lay party to determine preselections and candidates," Mr Krsticevic said.
Federal MP for Moore Ian Goodenough was yesterday reluctant to comment but when pressed, said: "I do recall a conversation in the carpark at Hillarys marina in October last year in which Rob asked me to support Simon Ehrenfeld's election as divisional president to boost his profile.
"I was put on the spot . . . I didn't believe the electors of Hillarys would support a non- local candidate."
