Liberal push a risk to Coalition

THE Victorian Coalition agreement is in danger of being torn apart on the eve of the November 29 election.

THE Victorian Coalition agreement is in danger of being torn apart on the eve of the November 29 election after the Liberal Party openly defied Nationals anger over plans for a three-cornered contest in a safe rural seat.

Victorian Liberal director Damien Mantach yesterday detailed plans to run a Liberal candidate in the newly created state seat of Euroa, which the Nationals believe is their seat.

The move has outraged senior Nationals who are threatening to withdraw any assistance for the Liberal Party during the ­November election campaign and to actively undermine their ­Coalition partners.

Several senior Nationals have told The Australian that the decision to run in Euroa, in the same region as the federal seat of Indi, in northeast Victoria, was in ­direct contravention of the ­Coalition agreement. Mr Mantach has denied this and confirmed a Liberal candidate would be on the ground by July, in time to maximise the party’s vote for the poll.

“We are going to be running a candidate in Euroa and we are not in breach of the Coalition agreement,” he told The Australian.

Senior Napthine government figures are blaming the decision to run a Liberal candidate on Liberal state president Tony Snell.

High-level talks have been held in recent weeks between the Liberals and Nationals to prevent the Coalition agreement imploding.

But the discussions have failed to dampen anger from the Nationals, with the new seat of Euroa containing considerably more ­Nationals voters than Liberal voters when comparing the old boundaries, according to the ­Nationals.

Euroa includes key population centres in Indi, which Liberal frontbencher Sophie Mirabella failed to hold in last year’s election. Ms Mirabella’s independent ­opponent Cathy McGowan ­secured local Nationals support.

The Nationals’ candidate will be Stephanie Ryan, who has ­advised both the Baillieu and Napthine governments, having worked for both sides of the ­Coalition divide.

Tony Schneider, a local Liberal office bearer, is considered the party’s frontrunner to run in Euroa. A senior Nationals figure said: “104 (Victorian Liberal headquarters) have got a born-to-rule attitude.’’

Retiring state MP Bill Sykes said yesterday Ms Ryan was the perfect candidate for the seat and should be given a free run, adding that the Liberal candidate would not run dead. “No one goes into a game not playing to win,” he said.

The Australian understands that Ms Ryan is polling strongly in Euroa and that on existing numbers would win the seat, which is notionally held by the Nationals with a margin of 13.3 per cent.

Deputy Premier Peter Ryan, the Nationals’ leader, did not comment on the split and the Premier’s office was unable to comment due to the death of Denis Napthine’s mother.

The Nationals claim Euroa as theirs under the Coalition agreement because it contains territory where the party polled more than 50 per cent of the primary vote.