NO RIDE: The Liberal National Party has asked
Michael Johnson, pictured with wife Huyen, to
return a swag of property including a scooter.
MICHAEL Johnson was told to hit the road but before he clocks any more kilometres away from the Opposition benches the Liberal National Party wants its scooter back.
The LNP today will write to the dumped federal MP demanding he return a swag of property, including a scooter, $4000 worth of hi-fi equipment and a kitchen bought with funds donated to the party.
Party sources told The Courier-Mail Mr Johnson will receive a separate letter requesting he reveal details of a term deposit account which the LNP alleges may contain a stash of hidden donations.
The LNP is questioning whether a term deposit account has been used to channel mystery donations into Mr Johnson's official re-election account.
An internal party audit of Mr Johnson's Ryan re-election account discovered a history of $25,000 and $50,000 transactions between the official fund and the interest-earning term deposit account.
But $125,000 now in the official re-election account cannot be reconciled, fuelling speculation about the origin of the money.
The LNP is also preparing to target the MP's printing account amid concerns it might be thousands of dollars in credit with money donated to the party.
Mr Johnson has said the term deposit account is now closed and maintained he has not acted improperly and has declared all donations.
The newly Independent MP wrote to his former federal colleagues this week to urge them to "stay focused" on beating the Rudd Government.
"I will treasure the moments, memories and magic of each day and especially the warm fraternity of colleagues," he said in the letter obtained by The Courier-Mail.
It is understood Opposition Leader Tony Abbott urged his troops during a party meeting yesterday to remember Mr Johnson was a human being with "feelings".
Dr Christian Rowan, a past president of the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland, is the latest LNP member to nominate for Ryan. He will be up against councillor Jane Prentice and Senator Russell Trood is also tipped to nominate.
