What happens when PM Property Council loses Wentworth?

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Fresh news:

John Hewson is succinct:

Former Prime Minister John Hewson is back in parliament to present the ‘Climate of the Nation’ research report that surveys Australians about their attitudes to climate change. Hewson says he’s disappointed that the government has officially ditched the NEG as climate policy, instead focusing solely on power prices and that the government will find out at the ballot box that attitudes have shifted.

Former PM? But he’s right. I think they’re going to lose it. The Wagga backlash was huge and it is going to be worse in Malcolm Turnbull’s own seat. Labor could easily win it. An independent is a certain victor. But don’t ask me, ask them:

A poll of 400 voters conducted for would-be Liberal candidate Peter King put the party’s support at 36 per cent, Labor at 29 per cent, Greens at 16 per cent and an unidentified independent at 18 per cent.

After allocating preferences, the poll put Liberal support at 47 per cent and Labor support at 53 per cent, a remarkable situation for what was estimated to be the Coalition’s eighth-safest seat based on the last election and recent boundary changes.

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That will leave the Property Council PM with a minority government with 74 seats versus 76 for Labor and cross-benches. To survive a no-confidence motion it would need two independents to join it. Cathy McGowan will. Then the government would need to win over one of:

  • Rebekhah Sharkie
  • Adam Bandt
  • Andrew Wilkie
  • Bob Katter

What’s Bastard Bob going to ask for?

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About the author
David Llewellyn-Smith is Chief Strategist at the MB Fund and MB Super. David is the founding publisher and editor of MacroBusiness and was the founding publisher and global economy editor of The Diplomat, the Asia Pacific’s leading geo-politics and economics portal. He is also a former gold trader and economic commentator at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, the ABC and Business Spectator. He is the co-author of The Great Crash of 2008 with Ross Garnaut and was the editor of the second Garnaut Climate Change Review.