The Daily Telegraph editorial: Malcolm Turnbull’s seat is a swinging one
THE federal seat of Wentworth held by ousted former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has a very distinct character compared to other safe Liberal electorates. The Daily Telegraph revealed today the primary vote has plunged from 62 to 39 per cent.
Opinion
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THE federal seat of Wentworth held by ousted former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has a very distinct character compared to other safe Liberal electorates.
Wentworth voters tend to support Liberal candidates who are notably left-leaning on social issues, and even on some broader economic and structural matters.
Former Liberal leader and failed prime ministerial candidate John Hewson was Wentworth’s representative from 1987 until 1995, and he was a good fit with the locals. Malcolm Turnbull, too, has always been a popular local representative.
He’d have been more popular still in Wentworth had he been able to enact his Paris climate emissions aims.
Turnbull’s dilemma, of course, was that other Liberal voters and Liberal MPs do not share the same level of passion for climate change activism as may be found in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Again, the seat is very distinct that way. It’s almost as though Wentworth’s perfect candidate would be a multi-millionaire Labor nominee, except that Wentworth voters are clearly very sensitive when it comes to the risk of higher taxes.
Turnbull won preselection over one-term representative Peter King in 2004 following a contentious battle for the prize seat, and has since become Wentworth’s longest-serving MP since the mid-1970s. But that era is shortly due to end with Turnbull’s resignation from federal Parliament.
And the locals, who at the last election gave Turnbull a gigantic 62 per cent slab of the primary vote, do not like it one bit.
A stunning ReachTEL poll conducted on Monday night reveals that the Liberal primary vote is all the way down to just 39 per cent.
That converts into a two-party-preferred vote of 50/50, meaning Wentworth could fall to another party for the first time in more than 60 years.
Even then, the party was United Australia — precursor to the modern Liberals.
One potential outcome in Wentworth is that the successful candidate may not represent any party. Former Australian Medical Association president and City of Sydney councillor Kerryn Phelps has yet to confirm her candidacy, but might be a viable contender.
It all points to a fascinating electoral contest. For decades, it was always assumed on elections nights Wentworth would be a Liberal certainty.
If this poll is an accurate long-term guide, that certainty is gone.
WHY WE NEED A BABY BOOM
Not that these classes would aim to boost pregnancy among school attendees. Instead, they would inform students about the difficulty of becoming pregnant too late in life.
It’s been more than a decade since then-treasurer Peter Costello famously urged families to have “one (child) for mum, one for dad and one for the country”.
We’re now down to 1.79 births per woman — short even of the quota for mum and dad. Get cracking, Australia.
DISTRACTION HAS TEETH
The Cronulla Sharks recently received a boost courtesy of the turmoil in Canberra. Once the government’s leadership brawl ended, Australia’s new Prime Minister just happened to be Scott Morrison — one of Cronulla’s most enthusiastic fans.
Morrison mentioned the Sharks during his first speech as Prime Minister-elect. Returning the favour, the team’s leagues club proclaimed Morrison’s elevation with a billboard announcement.
Investigators arrived at Sharks Leagues club three months ago following an internal review of finances dating back to 2015 conducted by the club’s new chief executive.
None of this has any direct impact on the Sharks’ finals involvement. The NRL believes the club is presently salary cap compliant and can play.
But it may be a powerful distraction. Just like a certain dust-up in Canberra.