Liberal primary vote plummets ahead of Wagga Wagga by-election
THE government is in position to lose Wagga Wagga at Saturday’s by-election with internal Liberal polling showing the Federal leadership spill led to a collapse in the party’s primary vote.
NSW
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INTERNAL Liberal polling shows the government’s primary vote in Wagga Wagga collapsed in the aftermath of the Federal leadership spill.
Days out from Saturday’s crucial by-election polling figures show the Liberal primary vote has dropped 12 points from 37 to 25 — putting the government in the position of losing the seat.
A senior Liberal government source said last night the party now feared even losing the seat to Labor, saying it was not just the strong independent Joe McGirr who was a risk.
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Labor last held the seat of Wagga from 1941 to 1957 and internal recriminations will fly against the Liberals if they lose the prized seat after insisting they run instead of the Nationals.
The Liberals will likely use the polling figures as damage control if they lose the election to shift blame to Canberra in a bid to protect Ms Berejiklian’s brand.
The ReachTEL poll was conducted this week, and compared with polling conducted in the seat before the federal chaos and the disposal of Malcolm Turnbull.
“It’s going to be line ball,” one of the Liberals’ most senior strategists said last night.
“The a*se has fallen out of our vote.”
It comes as The Daily Telegraph can also reveal senior Nationals are already plotting how to get Mr McGirr to defect to their team if he wins on Saturday.
Senior Nationals will attempt to convince Mr McGirr to run at the March general election as a National.
Mr McGirr said he had not been approached.
The Nationals will try to convince him that he can wield more power and make dramatic change from the government benches as opposed to the cross benches as an independent.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro denied the plan on Wednesday.
“The worst thing that could happen to the government today is the loss of the seat of Wagga Wagga because actually stops the momentum of the Liberals and Nationals of NSW representing those communities,” Mr Barilaro said.
“Dr McGirr is not a Nat, he may claim that he would love to run as Nat but he’s not a Nat he’s an Independent and once he gets elected he will sit there on the crossbench with the rest of the independents. He’s not going to be part of party.”