Liberal council: Howard says Labor’s primary vote is too low to win

The PM urges members to counter Labor ‘lies’ to avoid another Mediscare, while John Howard says Turnbull will win the next election.

Malcolm Turnbull wants an army of Liberals on social media to counter any Labor attempt to repeat its 2016 “Mediscare” campaign.

The Prime Minister told the Liberal federal council the party must rebut Labor every time it spreads “lies” about government policies.

“It’s very important for all of us here and every party member and supporter to use all of the social media at your disposal,” Mr Turnbull told the party faithful in Sydney today.

“You may only have a few hundred people that are following you or that you can reach, it doesn’t matter.

“We now treat every Labor lie, every single one, no matter how absurd, as something that has to be categorically rebutted every single time.”

In 2016 Labor sent text messages that looked like they came from Medicare, telling voters the government planned to sell it off.

The Coalition will attack Bill Shorten on border protection and taxation in the next election campaign, while talking up its own economic record.

Labor primary vote too low to win: Howard

Earlier, John Howard said history showed Labor’s primary vote was too low to win the next election, and another key Liberal called for an end to “lazy” infighting.

The former prime minister told the Liberal federal council event the polls showed Labor wasn’t in the strong position that oppositions had in 1996, 2007 and 2013.

“On each of those occasions the primary vote of the winning party was in the middle 40s for a consistent period of six or 12 months before the election,” Mr Howard said today.

“The Labor primary vote has been stuck below 40 per cent for a very long time.

“That is a salutary reminder, although there may be irritation and disappointment with us, there is no enthusiasm for the replacement.”

Former Australian prime minister John Howard speaking in Sydney today. Photo: AAP

Party president Nick Greiner also used a speech yesterday to tell Liberals to lock in behind Malcolm Turnbull, whom he and Mr Howard said could win the next election.

“We’ve occasionally been a bit lazy and self-indulgent when we give our own internal tiffs, our internal arguments, priority over the wellbeing of our party overall,” Mr Greiner told the council.

The party members voted for a motion calling on the government to privatise the ABC except in regional areas, although Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said there were no plans to sell the national broadcaster.

A small majority of members also voted for Australia to move its Israel embassy to Jerusalem, but Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said that was also not going to happen.

By-election chances

The Liberals were fighting “every election to win” but Mr Turnbull and Mr Howard said today it would be tough for the Coalition to win any of the five July 28 by- elections.

The government is running in three of the by-elections on Super Saturday, but the Prime Minister and former leader played down their chances.

“The last time the government won a by-election from the opposition was 100 years ago,” Mr Turnbull told reporters. “We fight every election to win, but you have to be realistic.”

Liberals believe they have their strongest chance in the Tasmanian seat of Braddon, where former MP Brett Whiteley is running against Labor’s Justine Keay. Mr Howard said the government’s chances in Braddon and the Queensland seat of Longman are “very remote”.

“I think it’s very, very hard and tough and unlikely. People don’t normally award by-elections to incumbent governments,” Mr Howard told reporters. “I think people who are saying otherwise are really trying to tamper with expectations. The expectations must be that Labor will retain both Longman and Braddon.”

Georgina Downer is running in the South Australian seat of Mayo, and Mr Howard said she also faced a difficult battle against independent Rebekha Sharkie.

Parliamentary Speaker Tony Smith issued the writs on Friday for five by- elections, the first time so many federal by-elections have been held on the one day.

Electoral rolls in Perth, Fremantle, Longman, Braddon and Mayo will close on June 22.

Nominations will close on July 5 with the declaration of nominations a day later.

Four of the by-elections were triggered by MPs facing dual citizenship questions, while Labor’s Tim Hammond retired from the seat of Perth for family reasons.

The party members today also heard of the need to recruit more members and improve fundraising, as the Liberals lagged behind Labor in terms of spending. The Coalition’s election campaign is also set to focus on Labor’s border security and tax plans, with negative advertising aimed at leader Bill Shorten.

AAP