Topics: Farrer by-election result, Budget week, Barnaby Joyce’s aspirations

E&OE.......................    

‍

PETE STEFNOVIC: To the fallout from the Farrer by-election over the weekend and the post-mortem that again faces the Liberal Party. It's now reduced to 41 seats in the lower house. Joining us live this morning, Liberal Senator Dave Sharma. Good to see you, Dave. What are your reflections a day or two days on now from Farrer? Where did the Liberals go wrong? Because that first preference vote was appalling.

‍

DAVE SHARMA: Look, it was a bad result. There's no sugarcoating that at all, I don't think, Peter. It was a by-election and we need to keep that in mind. People tend to express their views differently at by-elections than at general elections. But look, we’ve clearly got a lot of work to do to rebuild the trust and faith of the electorate and I think to present an alternative government. I mean, at Farrer they were voting think against things, if you like. They're voting in protest at the economy as it is, the state of the nation as the way it is, and we need to be presenting as Liberals an alternative view to how to govern the nation. I don't think One Nation can do that credibly. I think Labor is doing a bad job of it in government. That's the space that's open to us right now.

‍

PETE STEFANOVIC: Yeah, I mean, but this is what— this was all said after the election though. I mean, how much more time do you need?

‍

DAVE SHARMA: Well, look, I think you'll see, we've got the budget this week, Peter Labor laying out its vision for the economy. We'll be doing our budget reply on Thursday night, and I think you'll see the sorts of plans that we have for Australia and how we think we could make Australians' lives materially better off under different economic managers.

‍

PETE STEFANOVIC: But isn't an example of the by-election on the weekend proof that people just, they prefer One Nation's policies over yours?

‍

DAVE SHARMA: Look, I can't speak for obviously those voters, but I think the sense I'm getting is the One Nation vote is an anti-incumbent, anti-status quo vote. Anti-major party vote. And if you read some of the people who are interviewed saying they're supporting One Nation, they're not particularly attracted to One Nation policies. They might not even know what many of them are, but they see it as a way to say, "We're unhappy with what the major parties have been offering us." And now that's a message we're hearing and we understand, but I think that's also the opportunity there. That it's sort of a repulsion rather than an attraction that's driving people towards One Nation.

‍

PETE STEFANOVIC: Well, I mean, it's been a real shot in the arm for One Nation anyway, and they are still celebrating the win. And now Barnaby wants more. He said over the weekend that he wants Western Sydney electorates as a New South Wales senator. How do you see that going?

‍

DAVE SHARMA: Look, I mean, I think we're in a democracy. We should welcome a competitive political system. If other parties and other candidates want to run in seats and show their wares and tell Australians what they're prepared to offer them, they're prepared to do differently, I think we should welcome that because that makes our political system better. That's at the heart of a democratic political system. But I do think that One Nation still has a lot of work to do to explain their policies, tell people what they're for, not just what they're against, and how that would actually materially change a whole host of settings in Australia, from fiscal policy to immigration policy to from central banking to the independence of the Reserve Bank to industrial relations. That’s what you need to do if you're wanting to be a party of government. Now, if One Nation has indeed those aspirations, then those are the sorts of discussions they need to start having with the Australian public.

‍

PETE STEFANOVIC: So would you— how do you feel about One Nation joining your coalition?

‍

DAVE SHARMA: Well, I'm not in favour of that. I mean, we are the Liberal Party. One Nation is— look, I know they've had a few good results, but I don't think we should get carried away here. They've got 2 seats in the House of Representatives out of 151. One of them was because of Barnaby Joyce leaving the Nationals. Yes, we need to take them seriously as a political force here, but I think it's far too early to say that One Nation is going to be a dominant force in Australian politics. We have seen elements of this before. As I said, I don't wish to be complacent or give off any hint of complacency. But I also think it's important not to put straight line projections.

‍

PETE STEFANOVIC: But might you need them to survive though, Dave? I mean, if you bring in your first preferences, even though they didn't do well at all in Farrer, if you bring those together, the Nationals together, the One Nations together, I mean, could you put up more of a contest if you're all under the same umbrella?

‍

DAVE SHARMA: Look, I think one of the interesting things in Farrer, Pete is that Labor didn't run a candidate. The centre-left vote, if you like, that went to the Greens was very small. The independent candidate's vote did not change from the last election. There's a significant chunk of the centre-left vote that seems to be going to One Nation as well. I don't think it's as big as the centre-right chunk or the right-of-centre vote, but I don't think this is just a Liberal Party problem. This hasn’t brought a disruption to the political system. Labor hasn't yet been tested against it. But if One Nation is running in seats in Western Sydney, well, that's Labor Party electoral stronghold right now.

‍

PETE STEFANOVIC: Sure, okay. Just finally here, I mean, Angus Taylor is the leader of the party. Obviously questions are coming for him already. Is he the right man to lead?

‍

DAVE SHARMA: Yes, he is, and he has my support, Peter. I mean, I think too often people think, oh, well, let's just change the leader when I don't think there's any hint of challenges. We always knew this by-election was going to be difficult. Angus has only been the leader for a couple of months. I think he's doing a good job in difficult circumstances and he has my full support as leader. And I think we need to focus on what we're offering to the Australian people, not the people who are selling the policy.

‍

PETE STEFANOVIC: Okay, well, you'll have a chance to do that this week with Budget Week, Dave, but we're out of time and we'll leave it there this morning. We appreciate your time as always.

‍

[ENDS]