Labor Party members in Ipswich sought to sanction then-mayor Paul Pisasale for perceived disloyalty in 2012 over his support for Campbell Newman in the 2012 state election, internal party documents seen by Fairfax Media have revealed.
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The branch members, led by current Ipswich Labor MP Jennifer Howard, wrote to then-state secretary Anthony Chisholm, now a Labor Senator for Queensland, in April that year seeking disciplinary action against Mr Pisasale.
???The local branch disloyalty issue was one of many allegations against Mr Pisasale that were raised under parliamentary privilege by independent Cairns MP Rob Pyne in State Parliament on Wednesday night.
In the 2012 motion, seen by Fairfax Media, Ms Howard moved that the Ipswich Central branch: "1) considers Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale's actions and comments in the recent state election campaign to be contrary to the best interests of the Labor Party and inconsistent with party membership; and 2) requests the party take disciplinary action against Paul Pisasale."
Current Labor state secretary Evan Moorhead confirmed the move on Thursday and said he met with the branch member on a "very cold Ipswich night in 2012".
"I met with them to hear the allegations they had made and explained the evidence they would need for there to be a member expelled," he said.
"That might be campaigning against an ALP candidate for example and I advised how they might lodge a dispute under the party rules."
Fairfax Media understands some of the allegations were too general and were concerned with publicity-seeking rather than offences against ALP party rules.
"I think the branch then discussed the matter after I met with them and I don't think anything ever came of it," Mr Moorhead said.
???Three years later, The Queensland Times reported former Bligh minister Rachel Nolan had sought to have Mr Pisasale expelled from the party, also for disloyalty.
Mr Pisasale remains an ALP member, but stood as an independent mayoral candidate at the four council elections he won from 2004.
Prior to his resignation last week, Mr Pisasale appeared before a Crime and Corruption Commission inquiry, at which his links with the Labor Party were explored.
"I'm a long-term member of the Labor Party but it has no influence, and has not had any influence, in regards to how I do my job," he told the inquiry in April.
Mr Newman swept to victory at the March 2012 state election, with the LNP claiming the seats of Ipswich and Ipswich West with candidaes Ian Berry and Sean Choat respectively.
Both replaced sitting Labor members, angering local party members.
Mr Pisasale declined interviews on Thursday.
