Fed: Nationals won't contest plum Senate role

AAP General News (Australia)
08-01-2005
Fed: Nationals won't contest plum Senate role

By Maria Hawthorne, Chief Political Correspondent

CANBERRA, Aug 1 AAP - The Nationals have decided not to contest the deputy presidency
of the Senate, heading off a potentially ugly squabble with the opposition.

The Nationals had considered claiming the plum role for one of their own senators after
delivering control of the Senate to the government for the first time in 24 years.

That would have broken the custom established in 1981, when Malcolm Fraser's coalition
government lost its majority in the upper house, of choosing the deputy president from
the opposition benches.

That practice was ignored in 1996 when the new Howard government appointed Queensland
senator Mal Colston after he quit Labor to sit as an independent, voting with the government
on crucial bills.

Senator Colston quit the position the following year amid a travel rorts scandal.

Nationals Senate leader Ron Boswell said his party had decided not to challenge the custom.

"In the interest of a smooth running Senate and after discussions with my National
colleagues we have agreed not to seek the deputy presidency," Senator Boswell said in
a statement.

"We are a party small in number and we have decided to concentrate our efforts in representing
our constituents in rural and regional Australia, in small business and in Australian
families instead of in the running of the parliament."

However, the Liberal Party could still break with tradition and put its own candidate up.

Queensland Labor senator John Hogg has held the position since 2002 and opposition
Senate leader Chris Evans said Labor would be supporting his re-election.

"He has been a fine deputy president," Senator Evans said.

"Labor backs the custom and practice that the opposition supplies the deputy president.

"However, Labor recognises that the government has the numbers to determine who will
be the deputy.

"It will be up to them to decide if they follow the Senate customary practices and
support an opposition nominee."

Government Senate leader Robert Hill was not immediately available for comment.

AAP mfh/jo/sd

KEYWORD: SENATE NATS

2005 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.