- Published:
- Thursday 26 February 2015
The Victorian National Party has gone a whole parliamentary week without asking a single question in lower house question time, raising serious questions about their declining influence in Parliament.
All questions posed by the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly during question time this week were asked by Liberal MPs.
Having lost party status in Victoria after a disastrous showing at the last election, the Nationals are now being shut out of question time by their Liberal Coalition colleagues.
New Nationals Leader Peter Walsh obviously lacks the influence of his predecessor, Peter Ryan, who was at least able to convince the Liberal powerbrokers to give National MPs a voice in Victorian Parliament.
Quotes attributable to Leader of the House, Jacinta Allan
“The Nationals have so little influence in the Opposition Coalition, they can’t convince their Liberal colleagues to give them even a single question.”
“How can regional and rural Victoria have confidence that National MPs will stand up for them if they can’t stand up for themselves against their Liberal masters?”
“The city control of the country party is now complete.”