Vote deal with One Nation shows Australia`s shift to the right

by Dramelin 1:30 AM 0 comments

Western Australian state premier Colin Barnett, who is facing defeat in the March 11 election, has agreed to swap preference votes with the state branch of One Nation. Barnett`s deal appeared to split the center-right Liberals and the more conservative Nationals at a national level, another bad sign for embattled Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Australian Trade Minister Steve Ciobo said the Liberal Party should put itself in the best position to win the Western Australian election. In an unprecedented move, the Western Australian state leader of the Liberal Party, the senior partner in the governing Liberal-National coalition, agreed on a vote-sharing deal with One Nation at state elections next month. Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce described the deal as "disappointing" and said Barnett "should seriously consider whether he thinks that this is a good idea".