Liberals Iron Bar Tuckey Finally Stands Up For Those He Represents ‘Onya’

Over the past 12 months Agmates has heaped plenty of scorn on Liberal Party politicians who represent rural & regional constituencies .

Two Liberal Politicians who have copped heaps from us for their blind faith and loyalty to Urban centric Liberal party policy have been NSW Liberal Senator Bill Heffernann and Western Australian Liberal MP for O’Connor (based around Esperance and the wheat belt ) Wilson ‘Iron Bar’ Tuckey.

But we have nothing but praise today for Wilson Tuckey after his letter in todays Australian Newspaper, supporting the Nationals stand and requesting a greater say for rural and regional communities in the Coalition Party Room.

In fact we are so impressed by Wilson Tuckey finally seeing ‘the light’ we are awarding him a prestigious Agmates ‘Onya’ award.

In an article yesterday I said Tony Abbott and the Liberals Just Don’t get It and it appears that Wilson Tuckey [pictured] obviously agrees:

I MUST politely disagree with much of the substance of Tony Abbott’s piece on the Coalition’s recent woes.

First, the Nationals are not always wrong or alone in the positions they take in the parliament on certain issues, and in fact have had the support of many Liberals in the partyroom on the issues discussed recently-climate and telecommunications.

Second, the problem for the Coalition is that our partyroom does not vote formally, and, historically, the leadership has too often chosen to ignore the obvious majority views expressed in debate.

The long-standing process is that the leadership, purportedly representing the view of the entire front bench, recommends a position to the partyroom. However, too often such a recommendation, which may be of doubtful value, is expected to be supported and some MPs feel they might best promote their own interests by their silence.

This problem is not new and those of us who were present during the last term of the Fraser government would remember Malcolm’s autocratic style.

Now that would explain why rural and regional Australia has had such a raw deal from the coalition over the past 3 decades. Tuckey’s suggestion to remedy the situation is a truly democratic one:

The need for this reform is highlighted by recent events where, in the belief that a decision of the executive actually overrode the position of the partyroom, the Leader instructed our senators to change their vote.

I have corresponded with all Coalition MPs and senators recommending binding secret ballots for next year. The first step is to have a functional partyroom were minority interests can be considered and votes taken.

Perhaps Liberal ‘knock their nuts out’ Senator Bill Heffernan [pictured] should take a leaf out of Wilson Tuckey’s book.

It would help redeem himself to the people he is supposed to stand up for and represent.

Wilson Tuckey now joins the  illustrious list of Agmates Onya award winners.

To win an Agamtes Onya you must do something extremely good or make a stand for rural and regional communities.

A big thumbs up from the Agmates community.

‘Onya” Wilson.

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