Pressing for details of Liberal-National deal to govern
Is there a deal? Labor believes any formal arrangement between the Liberal and National Parties should be public — no secrets.
Labor leader Bill Shorten said it was not a good start for the Turnbull Liberal-Nationals if their first action was to have a secret deal.
“Australians are being asked to cooperate with this government,” Shorten said “but how can you get the cooperation of the parliament and Australian people if they’re not even told what the deals are all about?
“Australians are entitled to complete transparency.”
“It’s not a good start for this government if their first action is to have a secret deal.
“If you have a secret arrangement allocating power in this country, after we’ve just invited all Australians to participate in an election, it is not a good first step.
“Australians are entitled to complete transparency on the political arrangements of this country.
“If the deal is secret, it automatically raises suspicions, doesn’t it?
“If the first decision of the Turnbull government is to take a secret deal, then how can Australians be expected to trust the Turnbull government?” Shorten said.
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said today Labor wanted — and Australians deserved — to know what was in the Coalition deal.
“Bill Shorten was pointing out the political instability which comes from not only the hung parliament, but the civil war within the Liberal Party and the National Party,” Bowen said.
“Very important arrangement.”
“We need to see what the National Party insists on as part of their Coalition deal.
“It should be public — absolutely.
“It’s a very important arrangement,” Bowen said.
He said where Labor can work with the government, and with the other parties in the parliament, it would.
“I think the Australian people are looking for that sort of leadership,” Bowen said.
“Labor’s prepared to provide that.
“Australian people are a bit beyond that sort of tit-for-tat.
“We will not be engaged in the sort of wrecking ball approach that Tony Abbott took for three years, that consistent negativity.”
Labor was concerned about the effects of any Liberal-National agreement on marriage equality reform.
“We saw Malcolm Turnbull sell out good economic policy to the Nationals when he became prime minister by agreeing to an anti-business effects test, which is very poor policy indeed,” the shadow treasurer said.
“Our voters, look for us to defend the things for which we campaigned.”
“He said that was the reason he won’t have a conscience vote in the parliament on marriage equality — because of the deal with the Nationals.
“So (that deal) of course should be made public.
“Our supporters, our voters, look for us to defend the things for which we campaigned solidly, like Medicare and school funding.
“And of course we’ll be true to that: we will seek to see those policies implemented.
“If the government comes up with measures that are fair and sustainable, then we will support them, just as we led the debate on the things like superannuation,” he added.
This article originally appeared in the Labor Herald.
