Agmates Editor Steve Truman writes:
It’s official - The National’s are to form a new conservative party in Queensland.
The QLD National’s executive in a meeting in Brisbane late last week, unanimously backed a series of motions to Merge the National & Liberals into a new party.
Agmates can reveal that a working group will be announced this week to work through the issues including membership, finances and a draft constitution.
State President, millionaire trucking magnate and Dalby Cotton grower Bruce McIver said, “We will be preparing the path for a vote of members by late March or early April.”
The QLD Nationals move is in response to a survey conducted amongst QLD National’s members which found a whopping 96% supported the establishment of a single conservative party in Queensland.
Mr McIver said, “People recognize that we can’t keep doing the same things we’ve always done in conservative politics in Queensland and expect to win government.”
The decision by the State executive to merge with other “like minded” conservative parties comes just 3 weeks after Nationals State MP’s ambushed Leader Jeff Seeney in a Party room coup that reinstated Southern Downs MP Lawrence Springborg as the Party and Coalition Leader.
Photo of Lawrence Springborg and Party deputy Fiona Simpson on the Sunshine Coast at the Start of the recent whirlwind “Conversation with Queensland” tour.
In his previous time as the Leader of the party and the QLD Coalition Lawrence Springborg had campaigned for the merger as the only way forwarded for conservative politics in QLD. His last attempt which had gathered wide ranging support until it was brutally killed off by then Liberal Prime Minister John Howard, when his reaction to the proposal was “over my dead body”.
In a statement to Agmates Mr Springborg said……
“In the sixteen months or so that I was on the backbench, I had time to do a lot of thinking and reflecting.
I’ve taken a good inward look at my personal passion for my home State - Queensland, and what I believe is the true purpose of my life has made me realize that I couldn’t just sit back and watch as the Coalition consistently shot itself in the foot.
While I am 100% supportive of a single conservative force in Queensland, I feel equally strongly that this must be driven not by a handful of politicians in George St, but by the people of Queensland.
I’ve embarked on a “conversation with Queensland†asking Queenslanders what they want, what concerns them most, what “shape†they would like a credible alternative Government to be.”
In other developments:
The Federal Nationals present at the meeting backed the proposal. Mr McIver said, “Not one person at the executive meeting spoke against the proposal.”
The Queensland Liberal party has given the merger it’s “in principal” endorsement but will wait until after the March 15th Local Government elections to make a final decision.
The Nationals will be holding a series of meetings with “like-minded conservative” groups and party’s around Queensland this week with a view to them joining the Nationals and Liberals in the new conservative party.
It is believed that the historic first conference of the new conservative party will be held as early as May.
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Wow sounds good!
Lets see what really happens.Whether the Nationals and Liberals embrace their former nemisis, Pauline Hanson and One Nation and their reported 250,000 supporters, then allow them membership -Â remains to be seen.
This new party will sink or swim on its constitution, the goals and objectives and the protections afforded to the members and to the organization and the extent ordinary members know their views will be heard if demonstrated to be widely held in the community.
It will be critical to have a wide cross section of the comunity involved incuding so many great performers in all the smaller parties.
G’day Rowell,
I agree with what you have said whole heartedly. Encouragingly in recent conversations I’ve had with Lawrence Springborg, Fiona Simpson and Senator Barnaby Joyce all have said that they believe the new party must be driven by the grassroots members.
This is a truly Historic and exciting time for conservative politics in Queensland. I’d encourage you and all conservative supporters no matter what party they have supported to get involved in the formation of the new conservative party.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity - It’s history in the making.
G’Day Guys,
Agmate - your exactly right this is a historic time and it is an opportunity to get a new conservative force right. As much as the grass roots membership of the Nats support the concept it is also open to all like minded conservatives to get on board.
This new party will be what the people of Queensland want, all anyone needs to do is voice their opinion.
I would encourage everyone to go to http://www.conversationwithqueensland.com to share their views.
David Gibson MP - Shadow Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation. Member For Gympie & Campaign Spokesman.
David,
Thanks for engaging with the community, I’m keen to know what would differentiate the New party from the coalition or the two (and other’s, some failed) parties which have operated in the past and now operate.
Do you mean far right conservative, moderate conservative or progressive conservative and what would be the core objectives?
Why do you think we are in the predicament we are, what are or have been the failings of past endeavors?
Rowell,
In my opinion the failings in the past have been because the changes haven’t been driven by the grass roots within the parties and the broader community. The mood for change is real. I get it everyday at home in Gympie as well as in Brisbane and across the state. Also the various blogs show the level of support amongst non labor voters.
As to what would be different? My view is that it would be a new party. The question of who would be the next Premier of Qld could never be answered under the coalition agreement and the people of Qld want a clear and believable answer.
As to what form it would take? That is up to those who get involved. This is an opportunity for a new party to take on labor and provide a real alternate Government that can address the real challenges that Queenslanders face.
It is good to see David Gibson supporting the move.
I see two issues that I believe will get great support from grass roots-Sensible Protectionism-as opposed to unfettered free trade which sees us with a National debt of over $570 billion and one of the world’s highest interest rates to service that debt. Why else have the major banks increaded their rates above the Reserve Bank’s when credit is so cheap in the USA?
and……….a large reduction in immigration. The previous Government increased immigration to record levels , triggered a housing boom that is quite unsustainable as infrastructure has fallen behind.
We need a non Labor party with vision for Australia–Railways,roads,dams, education, health ,state owned electricity.
The above policies will bring back the One Nation voters and a lot of people who are sick of debt and the power of the big business thugs.
Now is the time.
John,
There is one thing that ordinary Queenslanders are sick of more than anything else and that is the disunity on the non labor side of politics.
You are absolutely right when you say “Now is the time”.
The people of Queensland are calling out for those of us on the conservative side to unite into a single force that can take on Labor and form Government.
For every day that the old divides remain is another day that we play into Labor’s hands and deny the people of Queensland a strong united non labor Government that will govern for all people today and for the future that Queensland needs.
I would need to be convinced by empirical data that Immigration was a problem as described, ( the Snowy was built on immigration) sound like a touch of “shiny tops†John.
However you are absolutely right when you mention the Oversees debt issue, more a reflection of the lack of management of the economy. Yes a Industry policy which recognizes the negative effects of excess and the opposite , not sufficient competition would be a good start together with a desire to maintain core industry base like manufacturing so that we can be reasonably stable should external shocks come our way.
And a realistic policy of decentralization together with some credible vision for our Nations future, where all can see that nothing is impossible, water shortages will be solved if real, power generation difficulties re environment are transitional (if we want them to be) and some honesty in the data collection and distribution area, For example my current inflation is running closer to 100% on many farm inputs while overall inflation is said to be more like 3% plus to send us into a spin, a interest rate spin which has the potential to push us into recession or worse if over used.
But I just can not see the Libs being part of a new party, and so what do the Nats in QLD do, fold up a well established organization, with a constitution which with a few changes could do the job, with a branch and membership base across the state, apparently well funded to form another with as yet unknown members which will unite so called conservative voters…will need to be a lot of chaos yet before I can see a New party, especially if the old power brokers manage the process so as to retain control in the New party.
Its only worth the effort if it will work and building a new party with the old people and policies is doomed to fail, Back to Johns Question of protectionism or free markets, to the goals and objectives of the party and whether the members can obtain and retain control.
Rowell and David,
There are 250,000 people scheduled to be settled in Sydney’s SW corridor in the next 10 years. Immigration has gone mad as housing prices are the most unaffordable on record, infrastructure is collapsing. The Snowy Mountains Scheme was built by industrious immigrants but now we just have more and more immigrants settling in our Capital cities–many on welfare.
The Snowy came from vision-McKell and a few others. We have no Coalition vision now– no Ernie Bridges. The Howard Murray Darling Plan didn’t add a cupful of water to the flow.
The Telstra and other privatisations are coming home to roost. The Singapore Govt owns Optus and it is farcical that the Australian Govt now owns less facilities in Australia than foreign Governments.
I see like minded politicians moving to the new party-Katter’s intelligence and research on free trade would be invaluable. I see branches that still exist ( political party branches are a dying species) going over to the new party with their political reps.We saw this all in the One Nation split in NSW.
The party must appeal to the outer suburbs as One Nation did. I fear that the financial debacle that debt is taking us into will see a groundswell of support from very disillusioned Coalition voters.
The key is a dynamic, articulate leader who says what many people are thinking –as Pauline did.
Queensland is definitely the place for things to begin.
Rowell & John,
A couple of quick points.
Some Libs have already come out publicly in the media and declared they will join a new party. Of course those with the most to loose (factional power brokers) have also come out condemning the idea. Do I think we would get all to join? No but that is the beauty of democracy. Do I believe we will get a critical mass that would move forward? Absolutely!
As for the policies I agree with Rowell - this is not about name change it must be far more than that, and the new party must reflect its grassroots membership and naturally any constitution must provide for that.
Interestingly the Party with the membership that has the most to loose (The Nats) seem to have the greatest grass roots support for this idea. I’ve attended our local meetings and the only concerns raised are more about the mechanics not the concept.
In my community even disillusioned One Nation voters are urging this to happen. One put it quite eloquently when he said we have fought amongst ourselves for too long. We have more in common than different and we forget the only way we can make a difference in Qld is by being in government. (One Nation held my seat before the self destructive split in Qld and then it was the same member as an independent before I won it off her).
John I disagree with your comment about death of party branches based on experience in Gympie – our membership is growing. What has to happen is to engage better with people using various forms of technology. The old style of a branch meeting in a hall tucked away late one night has it’s place but so does a breakfast meetings in a MacDonald’s function room (don’t mind the kids mural on the walls!) on a Saturday whilst the kids play on the playground. As well as online discussion forums and using MSNChat. I find that people are still interested in what is happening in politics they just need alternate ways to engage.
Can I suggest guys that we need to hear your voices in this process as you sound interested and genuine about the future of non Labor politics in Queensland and could offer important ideas. Feel free to bounce me an email at gympie@parliament.qld.gov.au and maybe we can arrange to meet.
Dave
Ps I’m not saying Agmates isn’t a valuable forum Steve, just want to take this a step further.
John, I am far from convinced that your contention that emigration is one of the two main problems you try to support with 250,000 people to be settled near Sydney. In SE QLD some 50 or so thousand a year come , the result has been a rapid growth in that corner, housing seems close to accommodating, but other infrastructure is failing, roads, highways, bridges, rail , parking to mention but a few…I see the resultant development as highly beneficial and tremendous to watch. You would expect government would be providing the infrastructure, but alas they seem to be failing, falling behind, conservative government as we call them seem to have been at the fore front of this failing. I do not know if there is any evidence they are emigrants who wish in the main to come here, more just ordinary Australians looking for a place to live and work, likely driven mainly by the minerals boom from Asia. I love the fact that they want to come, and the challenge of providing the infrastructure, water and all.
If it is that emigration is causing the overheating of the economy as you seem to suggest then it is simply a matter of moderating its level, humanitarian, social and industrial realities taken into account. (I doubt it is so)
Actually I reckon every time people go of on this tangent they pander to the far right, they scare middle Australia, in fact they scare me a bit. So lets see us focus on issues we can all agree need change like the fool idea that Singapore should own more Australian infrastructure than Australians.( this is a matter of unfettered free markets or protectionism , the balance in fact between the two philosophies)
Also it is my view as well, that branches are critical, their meeting procedures may need to made a little more contemporary but it is critical for ordinary members to have their opinions considered by their piers and for the branches in the first instant to knowingly remind them selves of the views of their wider communities when resolving issues so that in the first instant it is community which puts its view forward not some individual, thus through resolution from branch upwards at various junctures the view is adjusted to finally become policy. So I think branches are critical and I think they have failed because of repeated events of MP’s and government treating their views with contempt and so there has become no reason to participate. I would never want to see some powerful individual from the far left or right obtaining the power to drive the show, but so the broader view of our community can have and feel like it has a legitimate role to play in the governance of the nation.