Name: WA Liberals and Nationals enter alliance instead of formal coalition following electoral wipeout - ABC News
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WA Liberals and Nationals enter alliance instead of formal coalition following electoral wipeout - ABC News

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WA Liberals and Nationals enter alliance instead of formal coalition following electoral wipeoutShareThe WA National and Liberal parties have entered into a formal alliance, after the Labor party's crushing election victory decimated the state opposition.&nbsp;The Liberals were reduced to just two MPs in the Lower House, and seven in the Upper House, while the Nationals have four seats in the Legislative Assembly and three in the Legislative Council.With more seats in the Lower House, the Nationals won official opposition status, and Mia Davies was appointed Opposition Leader.Ms Davies said the parties had agreed to form an alliance rather than a coalition because it allowed each party to maintain independence."We tend to favour an alliance arrangement, that ability for the parties to maintain their independence to be able to articulate those positions where we have significant departures on policy, is important to us," she said."From our perspective it allows a working arrangement, in a professional and collegiate way, that acknowledges that we have two separate parties with two separate membership bases, supporters, and constituencies with policy development processes that from time to time don't always match up."The Liberals and Nationals spent the best part of a decade governing Western Australia together, but during that time the two parties squabbled over core policies.Before the most recent state election, the two parties were at , which the Nationals pushed the Liberals to introduce after being elected in 2008.Earlier this year the Liberals called for tighter spending controls over the Royalties for Regions program, with Liberal MLC Steve Thomas claiming the program had been used as a "slush fund" in the past.But Liberal leader David Honey said the two parties were now in lockstep.The formal alliance included a Royalties for Regions clause which stated that both parties agreed on "the importance of Regional Development and Royalties for Regions" and jointly committed to returning the funding for the program to $1 billion per annum through&nbsp;the removal of cross-subsidisation of normal government consolidated funding expenditure.&nbsp;"We are absolutely committed to it, I come from the bush myself, it is really important that we fund regional areas appropriately," Mr Honey said.It's the first time the parties have formed an alliance in opposition since 2005.Ms Davies said she would be asking all opposition MPs to work together to hold the Labor government to account.&nbsp;"I would expect every member to ensure we are focused on working together to hold the government to account, and not on internal politics."The two parties will share shadow portfolios.Did you know we offer a local version of the ABC News homepage? Watch below to see how you can set yours, and get more WA stories.(Hint: You'll have to to do this)Liberal leader David Honey took state development, energy, hydrogen, science, innovation and ICT, while Ms Davies would be responsible for regional development, finance, electoral affairs, federal-state relations, public sector management, women's interests and jobs and trade.Deputy opposition leader Shane Love will take on transport, mines and petroleum and climate action, while deputy Liberal leader Libby Mettam was appointed health, mental health, disability services and prevention of family and domestic violence.Liberal Steve Thomas took on the shadow treasury.&nbsp;The parties agreed to split the opposition resources, with 56 per cent of funding allocated to the Nationals and 44 per cent to the Liberals.Ms Davies said they had written to the Premier asking for the allocated funding to increase in line with the increased funding to ministerial offices, but had not yet heard back.The alliance agreement will last until the next state election, but the two parties have not yet decided on how they will contest the next state election or any by-elections that may arise before then, given they could be competing for the same seats.19 Apr 202119 Apr 2021Mon 19 Apr 2021 at 8:17am, 19 Apr 202119 Apr 2021Mon 19 Apr 2021 at 9:24pmMore on:

WA Liberals and Nationals enter alliance instead of formal coalition following electoral wipeoutShareThe WA National and Liberal parties have entered into a formal alliance, after the Labor party's crushing election victory decimated the state opposition.&nbsp;The Liberals were reduced to just two MPs in the Lower House, and seven in the Upper House, while the Nationals have four seats in the Legislative Assembly and three in the Legislative Council.With more seats in the Lower House, the Nationals won official opposition status, and Mia Davies was appointed Opposition Leader.Ms Davies said...

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WA Liberals and Nationals enter alliance instead of formal coalition following electoral wipeout - ABC News

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