Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has ruled out non-compete arrangements with One Nation after it raised close to $1.8 million just a day after launching a fundraising drive to target Labor MPs.
With the Coalition under threat in its heartland seats, Opposition frontbencher Tony Pasin, a conservative Liberal MP from regional South Australia, has told The Australian his party in his home state could agree to avoid running against each other so they could direct their resources against sitting Labor MPs.
“We should work hand-in-glove to defeat Labor,” Mr Pasin said.
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“We should work together to identify which seats are more appropriately targeted by a One Nation candidate or a Liberal candidate.”
Mr Taylor has immediately slapped down that idea, with polls showing he is in danger of losing to One Nation, his own outer south-west Sydney electorate of Hume.
“No, there’s no plan to carve up seats,” he told the ABC on Thursday. “We won’t be doing that.
“What we will be doing is focusing on a Labor Government that’s taking this country in the wrong direction, with higher taxes, with less houses, with immigration that has not been in line with our housing supply, and with an energy system that is broken. And will be our focus, it won’t be carving up seats.”
One Nation’s Fire The Liar! fundraising campaign has already raised $1.775 million, only a day after launching on Wednesday, targeting Labor over its broken promises on negative gearing and capital gains tax changes, high immigration and ISIS brides.
Michelle Landry, the 63-year-old Nationals member for the central Queensland seat of Capricornia covering Rockhampton, said it was possible One Nation leader Pauline Hanson could run in her electorate against Nationals leader Matt Canavan, a locally-based senator, should she retire at the next election as the two parties preferenced each other.
“They’re certainly saying they’re going to be running someone against me, there’s been all this talk that Pauline’s going to run in Capricornia,” she told The Nightly from Japan with a delegation of Federal MPs.
“It’s open for anyone to run in any seat. “
Ms Landry has hinted she may retire at the next election due in 2028, with Senator Canavan mooted as a possible Nationals candidate looking to switch to the House of Representatives.
“I’m sure that he would love to do that,” she said.
“Once I retire, when I do decide to do that, it’s then open for preselection – the LNP will open that up and anyone who is interested in running for the seat goes up for a preselection where the party decides who’s going to run.
“I haven’t made up my mind what I’m going to do yet and so we’ve got two years to go.”
