Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. I refer to the minister who yesterday said in relation to the Western Australia Liberal Party's preference deal with One Nation: 'I have seen comments from the Premier which describe the arrangement entered into by the WA Liberal Party organisation as sensible and pragmatic. I would agree with the Premier's description.' Does the minister consider One Nation's economic policies to be so fiscally responsible that they should be preferenced above his mates the National Party?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Sterle for his question. Of course I do agree with the Premier of the great state of Western Australia, Colin Barnett, in relation to those comments. What I would say to the Senate is what I have said publicly—unlike at the federal level, in Western Australia the Liberal and National parties operate as independent parties, not as a coalition. My personal preference always is for the Liberal and National parties to act as we do here at the national level, as a strong and united coalition where we direct preferences to each other. But in Western Australia that has not been the circumstance for a very long time. Indeed, since 2008 the Nationals under Brendon Grylls's leadership, and we respected that this was their right as a separate party, have preferenced other parties ahead of Liberal Party candidates. They have done so at every election since 2008 in the upper house, and indeed they are doing that at this election. This is nothing unusual. It has been business as usual for a long time. In fact, the WA Nationals preferenced One Nation ahead of Liberal Party candidates in the upper house back in 2008, and in this election the WA Nationals are preferencing the Greens ahead of Liberal Party candidates, believe it or not.

While my own personal preference and the experience at a national level and in all other parts of Australia is that there is a strong and united coalition, in Western Australia there is an alliance arrangement between independent parties and as such each party makes its own decisions on preference allocations. Our priority, incidentally, is to convince as many Western Australians as possible to support their Liberal Party candidates in the legislative assembly and in the upper house with their primary vote, with their first preference. If they cannot vote for our candidates with their first preference, we encourage them to give us their second, third or fourth preference—as long as it is ahead of the Labor Party and the Greens, because of course they would be disastrous for Western Australia. (Time expired)

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What was the minister's involvement in setting the 'sensible and pragmatic arrangements'?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Preference arrangements for the Liberal Party of Western Australia are entirely a matter for the Liberal Party organisation in Western Australia.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sterle, is there a final supplementary question?

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, what discussions did you have with the Prime Minister prior to setting the 'sensible and pragmatic arrangements' preferencing One Nation above your mates the Nationals?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I struggle to appreciate how this relates to my portfolio responsibilities, but I note that you have not pulled up the senator on this, so I will acknowledge him in relation to this matter. Obviously, as I have said in my previous answers, these are entirely matters for the WA Liberal Party organisation. Of course I am a member of the Liberal Party in the great state of Western Australia—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Senator Wong, on a point of order?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a point of order on direct relevance.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question was out of order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is in order. I am happy to have a discussion about the standing orders if you wish, but that is not what I am raising. There is only one question. It does not go to the Liberal Party branch in WA. It goes to what discussions this minister had in relation to the arrangements to which he has referred in a public statement with the Prime Minister.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I accept your point of order. Whilst it is getting very close to not being relevant, it is in relation to a discussion with the Prime Minister. It is not directly related to his portfolio, but the minister has made statements to that effect. Minister?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let me be very explicit. Firstly, these are matters that are of course entirely within the purview of the WA Liberal organisation. Let me confirm for Senator Sterle, given his great interest in these matters, that I had absolutely no reason to discuss these matters with the Prime Minister because these are not my areas of responsibility at a national level. These are entirely matters for the WA Liberal Party organisation.