A Victorian Nationals MP says the possibility of splitting the coalition in Victoria must be “on the table” after the Liberals’ disastrous election result.
Danny O’Brien, the Nationals MP for Gippsland South, told ABC Radio that while there had been no talks on the matter yet, he believed it was worth considering whether the Nationals and the Liberal Party should decouple.
Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy on the campaign trail with Danny O’Brien and Liberal candidate Simmone Cuttim. Credit: Chris Hopkins
“We have to think about what’s best not just for us, but for the Liberal Party. They’re obviously going to go through some soul-searching in the coming days, weeks and months,” he said.
“We did really well, it was a great result for nationals in regional Victoria. But ultimately we want to be able to deliver from government banks for people in rural and regional Victoria, and we obviously can’t over the next four years.
“It’s also going to be difficult even in the next election, so I think we have to consider what the best options are for us… [splitting the Coalition] it has to be on the table.”
As we’ve already reported, the Nationals had a bit of luck in regional Victoria yesterday, likely picking up the seats of Mildura, Morwell and Shepparton after the Independents.