by PAUL COLLITS – NO EXPRESSION is surer in Australian politics than “once a Nat…”.
The unexpected departure of Nationals Leader David Littleproud this month brought to the crease the much-anticipated Matt Canavan.
- The thrill on the Right with the arrival of Matt Canavan might prove to be misplaced.
- Certainly overblown.
- Since the Nats tacked to Brokeback Mountain, during the great gay takeover, they have gone woke.
He is seen by some as a breath of fresh air, the hope of the side, prone to demonstrating spine, focused on the right issues and with some runs on the board during the post COVID period.
I, for one, have often bracketed Canavan with some of the COVID heroe; Ralph Babet, Malcolm Roberts, Alex Antic – who has said he thinks Canavan should be prime minister – and the now deposed Gerard Rennick.
UNFASHIONABLE
Post George Christensen and Craig Kelly, these have been the main men. The main woman remains, of course, the endlessly unfashionable Pauline Hanson.
Some of the pundit class were thrilled at the arrival of Angus Taylo – a thrill, I confess, I don’t share.
Perhaps these pundits were simply relieved to be rid of the former Member for Farrer Sussan Ley.
The thrill on the Right with the arrival of Canavan might just as equally prove to be misplaced. Certainly overblown.
There is an old law of politics – mostly attributed to British commentator John O’Sullivan, and hence the term, O’Sullivan’s Law – that says that any institution that doesn’t start off being explicitly Right wing will inevitably tack Left over time.
Perhaps there is another law in play here. The closer you get to having the power to effect real change, the less you become inclined to do so.
Rather, you start to mimic the establishment. And its primal fears. See under Farage. And Barnaby Joyce (twice over). And now, it seems, Canavan.
The arrival of Canavan has coincided with the latest attacks on Pauline Hanson, the only Australian politician absolutely right about everything over the Past three decades.
REASONABLE
With the current pile-on, triggered in part by Hanson’s perfectly reasonable comments on Muslims and Islam, and with his old boss (Barnaby Joyce) now part of One Nation, Canavan could have gone one of three ways – support Hanson against her critics, say as little as possible and let it all blow over, or come out swinging against One Nation.
Alas, Canavan chose the last. Even before he became leader. And certainly since.
Playing the “unAustralian” card is something that should only be done rarely, if ever, and with great care.
Actually, calling out the deficiencies of Islam is very, very Australian. Canavan should remember who his actual political enemies are.
He needs to stop thinking of the (electoral) welfare of the Nats and start thinking of the welfare of those that his pathetic, failed Party once represented.
Unfit to be a leader? Hanson? Well, when he has been around for thirty years, speaking up for normal Australians and displaying consistent, never-wavering policy positions proven to be both correct and popular, he can start to claim the moral high ground.
Hanson’s stands have aged well, as Nick Cater has recently and eloquently reminded us.
One Nation is clearly seen by the Nats as an electoral threat.
They will have been mightily displeased at Joyce’s defection, following Jacinta Price’s post-election departure to the Libs.
The Nats also face further evidence of their emerging irrelevance in the Farrer by-election, to be held in May.
The Libs can largely avoid a head-on collision with Hanson’s Party on the hustings. They are more worried about Greens and (especially) Teals. Not so the Nats.
SUPPORT
Much of One Nation’s support base is in regional Australia. Not all of it, of course. But much of it.
Given all this, you might think it wise for the Nats to avoid one thing and do another. The thing to avoid would be insulting One Nation voters by insulting their leader.
And the thing to do would be to enter into a life-giving and productive, strategic alliance with One Nation to achieve in government shared objectives.
It should include preference deals. And greater policy alignment.
We are in the territory of no brainers. Similar discussions are under way in Britain, between the Tories and Reform UK. The possibility of an alliance is a thing over there. It may not eventuate, but sensible people are entertaining it. And some are urging it.
Instead, we have down under the new anti-One Nation warrior. And don’t the legacy media love it. Welcome to the establishment, Matt, and goodbye to your principles. I should have realised your inevitable trajectory earlier. My bad.
The Nats used to be two things – a Party of regional interests, and a Party of social conservatism.
Since they tacked to Brokeback Mountain, during the great gay takeover, they have gone woke.PC
