Tony Abbott’s declaration this week that “we will have outstanding candidates in Lyne and New England whenever the election is held” shows a lack of understanding of how the National Party’s pre-selection process works. National Party candidates in any electorate are chosen, through a very democratic process, by members of the local branches.
The National’s time-honoured system of candidate selection has proved very successful at both State and Federal level over the years but unfortunately the local branches’ wise decisions have not been backed up by adequate support from the Liberal Party.
Mark Vaile, Member for Lyne, resigned after the Liberal Party closed the Port Macquarie campus of Southern Cross University and tried to make him the scapegoat for the Iraqi wheat scandal and the dairying industry deregulation.
Wendy Machin, an outstanding Member for Port Macquarie, resigned early after being humiliated by years of Coalition underfunding of the Pacific Highway upgrading and the State Liberal Government reversing Wendy’s announcement, that Port Macquarie would be getting a Public Hospital, only days after she made it.
Wendy’s replacement, Rob Oakeshott, resigned over the National Party’s relationship with developers. Since switching to federal politics and standing as an independent in Lyne, and being elected with a record majority, Rob Oakeshott’s performance in obtaining funding for finishing the Port Macquarie Base Hospital, the Pacific Highway and for education has been outstanding.
The National’s candidate at the 2008 bi-election, Rob Drew, who was a successful small business operator with good experience in Local Government, including several years as Mayor of Port Macquarie Hastings Council, was very poorly supported in the election campaign.
David Gillespie, Nat’s candidate in the 2010 election received no support whatsoever by way of promised funding.
The new Member for Port Macquarie, Leslie Williams, is starting to get a little support; promised funding for Lake Cathie School, but is often embarrassed by Liberal “support” such as Health Minister Julian Skinner claiming that construction of the fourth and fifth stages of the PMBH was being funded by the State Coalition government. Every man and his dog knows that Rob Oakeshott negotiated the $110 million from the Federal government. Leslie is at least displaying some independence. She had the good sense not to turn up at Barnaby Joyce’s failed, Town Green, anti carbon tax rally.
Tony Abbott would be well advised not to pre-empt local National Party members’ decisions regarding the pre-selection of candidates for the next federal election. His energies would be far better spent on providing good support for the one chosen by the local National Party. But who knows? Perhaps the Liberals may intend standing their own candidates against the National Party.
We look forward to Tony Abbott’s future announcements with interest.
Mike Dibbs,
Port Macquarie
