Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Coalition killing the Nats

By Peter Van Onselen - posted Friday, 24 October 2008


Meanwhile, in South Australia, the one National in parliament has a seat at Labor's cabinet table.

Sooner or later the Nationals are going to have to decide on a consistent national approach. If they don't, their various divisions will be picked off one by one.

Philosophically the Nationals used to be the party of the agrarian socialist, a collection of farmers opposed to trade unions and progressive social views but also uncomfortable about the free trade agenda that harmed the competitiveness of Australia's agricultural industry when competing in the global market.

Advertisement

The decision to band with the Liberal Party has always been a lesser of evils. Doing battle with the growing free trade tendencies of Liberals is preferable to trying to overcome the stranglehold the trade union movement has over the Labor Party.

But some Nationals are starting to wonder if the things that bind them to the Liberal Party aren't also the things that are eroding their voter base.

Any strategy adopted in the coming years needs to recognise the perception in the bush that the Liberal Party pushes the Nationals around. For that reason, the Nationals should, as a matter of policy and priority, drop out of the Coalition whenever they lose government. In Opposition they could then define themselves on their own terms, as they did in WA, and give themselves greater bargaining power when the conservative side of politics returns to government.

Such a strategy is not without its risks. Liberals do from time to time win government without the support of the Nationals. Were that to happen again, the Nationals risk being left on the cross-benches indefinitely. And optional preferential voting in NSW makes a non-coalition in Opposition risky where three-cornered contests are concerned.

But the survival of the Nationals is anything but certain, and merging is only an option if they are prepared to be forgotten over time.

The newly constructed Liberal National Party in Queensland, a mistaken course of action if ever there was one, would do well to remember the merger of The Daily Telegraph and The Mirror newspapers in Sydney. They came together under the masthead The Daily Telegraph Mirror.

Advertisement

Today it is known as The Daily Telegraph.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. All

First published in The Australian on October 22, 2008.



Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

14 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Dr Peter van Onselen is Associate Professor of Politics and Government School of Communications and Arts at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Peter Van Onselen

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Article Tools
Comment 14 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy