‘Embarrassing and messy’: CLP faces losing federal party status, despite president's claims

‘Embarrassing and messy’: CLP faces losing federal party status despite president’s claims

by | Jan 31, 2022 | News, NT Politics | 0 comments

The Country Liberal Party faces being stripped of its federal party status by the Australian Electoral Commission following the resignation of Senator Sam McMahon, despite the party president’s claims of being affiliated with the Nationals.

Ms McMahon’s resignation will trigger an audit by the AEC because it no longer has any sitting members in federal Parliament that will end in the party being deregistered if it cannot prove it has 1500 members.

CLP president Jamie De Brenni claimed on radio Monday morning that the party would be fielding candidates at the upcoming federal election as the CLP, because the party is affiliated with the federal Nationals Party which would help them meet the necessary member numbers.

However, the AEC said that would not prevent the party from losing registered party status.

“If the party in question was to be deemed a non-parliamentary party then any affiliation would not factor into fulfilling the requirement for the number of members – they’d need their own members in this case,” an AEC spokesman told the NT Independent.

“(However) a review into a party’s registration would include assessing any affiliation and the impact of such a connection.”

University of Queensland electoral law expert Graeme Orr said the CLP still had options to remain a registered political party, but would have to move quickly to change its constitution before the federal election is called or risk losing party status and running its Senate and House candidates as independents on the ballot paper.

The CLP’s options include convincing an interstate sitting federal politician to join the party to replace Ms McMahon as a member thereby preventing the AEC from investigating; allow interstate members to sign up but those would have to be names not already members of the Liberals or Nationals; or officially become part of either the Liberals or Nationals.

“None of those would be easy symbolically,” Professor Orr said.

“This is the self-styled ‘The Territory Party’. And it would take time: plenty of notice is required to all existing members (of) a clear vote to change the party’s constitution.”

Prof Orr questioned why the party would not have made changes to its constitution after ousting Sam McMahon from preselection last year, in order to protect itself from the current predicament.

Mr De Brenni did not immediately respond to the NT Independent’s questions. He said the party’s “advice” was that it is “compliant as an associate of the Nationals”.

He also would not provide the party’s current number of members, telling Mix 104.9 this morning that the figure wasn’t available due to the party “restructuring our program”.

If the party loses its registration, the CLP’s federal candidates for the Upper and Lower Houses would appear on the ballot at the next federal election as independents, despite being marketed with the CLP’s logo in advertisements.

“That’s embarrassing and messy, as you need to spend more money just alerting supporters to look for the candidates’ names and not just the party name or logo,” Prof Orr said.

“In House elections, the CLP candidate would similarly lack party identification and look like an independent, possibly making it harder to attract preferences ahead of the ALP.

“And if there is a COVID wave at election time, there may be restrictions on the number of activists handing out the usual how-to-vote cards at polling stations, and more postal voting, which would make it harder to communicate with individual voters.”

The AEC said it had not yet commenced a review of the CLP’s status as a political party but will “if or when” it receives information confirming that the party no longer has a parliamentary member.

“We will, as we always do, move swiftly to determine the circumstances and progress,” the spokesman said.

The party would remain registered while the process occurs, which would take two months to complete.

The CLP is registered with the NT Electoral Commission through the AEC. If it loses federal party status, the NTEC could then review the party’s status in the NT.

Sam McMahon issues statement that she has ‘no confidence’ in the CLP

Ms McMahon broke her silence over the resignation on Monday, issuing a media statement, stating that she has “lost confidence” in the party.

“I have informed the CLP president, management committee Leader of the Nationals, the Hon Barnaby Joyce MP and the President of the Nationals of my decision,” Ms McMahon said in the statement.

“This has not been an easy decision and I have wrestled with it in recent times. It brings to an end a 30-year association.

“I feel I no longer have confidence in the CLP.”

Ms McMahon said there were “a number of unresolved issues beyond the pre-selection” process that led to her resignation.

“These issues include formal complaints lodged with management committee that have not garnered a response let alone an acknowledgement,” she said, without providing any details.

“My intentions regarding the next election will become clearer as the date draws closer.

“Speculation regarding the next parliamentary sittings in a week’s time, will also become clearer.

“I currently don’t have any plans for my future, political or otherwise.”

Nationals Leader Barnaby Joyce said Ms McMahon will sit as an independent in the Nationals room. It is expected she would support the Coalition Government.

 

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