THE freshly minted Federal Parliamentary leadership of the Liberal Party has responded to today’s split with their junior partner of the Coalition by calling it “disappointing”.
In a joint statement issued just after 3.30pm, recently elected Opposition Leader and Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley, her deputy Ted O’Brien, and the senate leadership team of Michaelia Cash and Anne Ruston, said the move to not double down on some policies taken to May’s election were part of a post defeat review.
“The Nationals sought commitments on specific policies,” the statement said.
“As was explained to The Nationals, the Liberal Party’s review of election policies was not an indication that any one of them would be abandoned, nor that every single one would be adopted.
“We offered to work constructively with The Nationals, respecting the party’s deeply held views on these issues.
“We asked The National Party to work constructively with us, respecting our internal processes.
“In good faith, the Liberals proposed appointing a joint Coalition Shadow Ministry now, with separate policy development in each party room and subsequent joint policy positions determined in the usual way.
“Unfortunately, The Nationals determined this was not possible.”
The Liberal Party also insisted that Shadow Cabinet solidarity be maintained in any Coalition Agreement.
“This was not explicitly agreed to by The Nationals.”
The leadership foursome lamented the departure of the National Party from the Coalition.
“Whilst we have enormous respect for David Littleproud and his team, it is disappointing that the National Party has taken the decision to leave the Coalition today,” their statement said.
“As Liberals, we respect their decision and commit to continue working collaboratively with them.
“The Liberal Party’s door remains open to The Nationals should they wish to rejoin the Coalition before the next election.”
Earlier in the day, National Party Member for Mallie, Anne Webster, said the split was use to the Libreal’s unwillingness to recommit to some polices taken to the May 3 election.
Dr Webster said she and and her party would stand behind many of those policies.
“We will not walk away from the $20 billion Regional Australia Future Fund, which would provide up to $1 billion extra funding every year for regional projects, from improving access to better health, child and aged care, through to fixing local roads and building new sporting facilities,” she said.
“We will not walk away from ‘big stick’ divestiture competition laws that keep the big supermarkets honest and deliver fairer prices for farmers at the farmgate and families at the checkout.
“We will not walk away from an improved Universal Service Obligation for communications, forcing a better minimum standard for regional mobile and internet access.
“We will not walk away from the potential of nuclear power as a necessary element of a balanced energy mix that secures Australia’s energy security.”
The Liberal leadership’s statement also said the Nationals would be excluded from the shadow cabinet.
“As the largest non-government political party, the Liberal Party is the official Opposition,” the statement said.
“A new shadow ministry, drawn exclusively from the Liberal Party party room, will be announced in coming days.”
Monash University’s head of politics Dr Zareh Ghazarian said the change could be beneficial to both parties.
“In effect, the dissolution of the Coalition agreement is going to potentially liberate both the Liberal and National parties, for the time being, to get their policy settings in order,” he said.
“Obviously this is a really significant point in time for the future of the Liberal Party.
“To examine the decision we need to be looking at how the parties performed at the election. The Nationals held ground generally, while the Liberals went backwards.
“So the Nationals are probably feeling a bit emboldened that they have got the constituency behind them.
“The Liberals, on the other hand, are really struggling, so this will give them some time to recalibrate as they move towards the future.”
