A division of the Liberal Party of Australia
NORTHERN OPINION ONLINE
The Christmas Season is a good time to launch the first edition of my online newsletter, which I intend to issue as an occasional report of a northern perspective on matters generally associated with the governance of our state and our nation.
Whilst naturally enough I am disappointed by the result of the November election and fear the approach of a union dominated government, we are still a very ‘lucky’ country.
Very few countries in the world have a democratic system like ours. Although disagreeing with the decision the majority of Australians made on the 24th of November, I revel in the fact Australia has a democracy that can lead to a change in government without the turmoil and strife associated with changes in most other countries of the world.
As we reflect on the future, it is always better to look at the things that bind Australians and the ideals and traditions we hold dear, which no passing political parade will ever extinguish.
I hope you and all of your loved ones will enjoy the Christmas season and achieve your goals in 2008. Happy Christmas.
A GOOD RESULT IN THE SENATE
On the 14th of December, the declaration of the senate poll confirmed that the Liberal Team had gained the largest individual vote of the 22 groups that contested the election in Queensland
I was elected first of all candidates to represent Queensland in the Federal Parliament for the next term, with Senator Sue Boyce elected third and Senator Ron Boswell, fifth.
Three Labor candidates, John Hogg, Claire Moore and Mark Furner where elected to the other of the first 6 positions.
The swing against the Senate Team in Queensland was 4.5% (first preference); a smaller swing against our team than the swing in the House of Representatives seats which averaged 5.01%.
Only in Queensland and Western Australia did the Liberals out poll the ALP in the Senate election.
OVERALL RESULT IN QUEENSLAND
As a result of the election, the National party lost the seats of Dawson and Flynn (notionally a National party seat) and the Liberal Party lost Forde, Bonner, Moreton, Petrie, Longman and Leichhardt. The state of the parties in Queensland is now;
Liberal: 10 seats
National Party: 3 seats
Labor Party: 15 seats
NORTHERN RESULTS
I was disappointed in the result in Leichhardt where Warren Entsch’s personal vote certainly played a big part, however our candidate was not helped by some of the comments of the National Party candidate, or of the actions of some Liberal insiders. Moreover, the indigenous vote did not reflect calls by their leaders who had generally supported the Coalition Government in its approach. The suggestion of mutual responsibility doesn’t always attract support to those directly involved.
OPPORTUNITIES IN DAWSON
The surprise loss of what was regarded a safe National Party seat in Dawson has opened opportunities for the Liberal Party. Under Coalition arrangements where there is a National sitting member, the Liberal Party does not run a candidate. But now the seat is held by Labor, I expect the Liberals will expand in the electorate and will be fielding a quality candidate in the next election.
FLYNN
In the new electorate of Flynn the Liberal Party candidate, Jason Rose, scored a magnificent result with 14.78% of the vote after a very, very short campaign. Had Jason been in the field 12 months before the election, I am confident that the result in Flynn would have been quite different. Jason is a first class candidate and I would expect he has a big future in public life.
CAPRICORNIA
In Capricornia we were also very lucky to have a quality candidate in Scott Kilpatrick, a very successful local businessman. Scott has the commitment, drive and ability that marks him as a potential future leader.
HERBERT
Clearly the bright spark of the election was the narrow win by Peter Lindsay in Herbert. Peter is a very able and committed local member and had cultivated the electorate well over his 11 years in Parliament. This paid dividends on Election Day.
Whilst the count was nail bitingly tense it was good to see Peter retain the seat by a margin of 343 votes, well exceeding his 1998 margin of only 150 votes!
THE LIBERAL FUTURE IN QUEENSLAND
As I said in my address at the declaration at the Senate Poll (full speech available at www.senatormacdonald.org) I believe that now is an opportune time to work towards a strong, united non Labor Party in Queensland.
The Liberal party has a proud philosophy, which should be retained. But I consider it farcical that the Liberal and National Parties should retain the pretence of 2 separate parties. In fact at every election we have one leader and one set of policies. Certainly, individual members have different approaches to issues, but then that happens in the Liberal Party across Australia.
To maintain the farce of separate parties seems to be wasteful as well as ludicrous.
I think it is time for organisation leaders to show leadership and bring about a party which is strong and united.
The common objections to the merger are two fold. One, that it would interfere with the purity of the Liberal philosophy. I believe that the close nature of the working Coalition in the past 11 years has shown that this is not so.
The second is that it will lead to the formation of a ‘rump’ rural party in Queensland. I suggest it is already there in the form of Hanson, One Nation and Family First. In the Federal Parliament the Liberal Party is still the strongest Party in rural and regional Australia. And in Queensland, while the Nationals hold Maranoa, Hinkler and Wide Bay, the latter two are more likely Liberal Seats when the sitting members retire. Even in its defeated state, the Liberal Party still holds Groom, Herbert, Fisher and Fairfax, and in my view has better prospects in Flynn and Dawson at the next election.
COMMENT WELCOMED
I welcome comment, both positive and negative, on the issues I will raise in the Northern Opinion Online.
With very few resources made available to the Opposition by the new Government, I and my colleagues will have to rely on your input for information and views to assist us in our role of keeping the Government accountable, and developing alternative policies for Australians.
Again, my very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.