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| Nationals join Liberals in criticism of Coalition election campaign | Nationals join Liberals in criticism of Coalition election campaign |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Nationals have joined Liberals in blasting the strategic direction of the Coalition’s election campaign. The Nationals senator John Williams says the campaign’s presidential focus on Malcolm Turnbull was “annoying”. | |
| Williams said on Wednesday the campaign over the past eight weeks focused too much on Turnbull and not enough on the team. | Williams said on Wednesday the campaign over the past eight weeks focused too much on Turnbull and not enough on the team. |
| The veteran senator’s comments join a host of public criticisms about the campaign that have surfaced since Saturday night in defiance of the prime minister’s efforts to calm the Coalition as he faces the possibility of having to form a minority government. | The veteran senator’s comments join a host of public criticisms about the campaign that have surfaced since Saturday night in defiance of the prime minister’s efforts to calm the Coalition as he faces the possibility of having to form a minority government. |
| Related: Turnbull tried and failed to appease the right – now he has nowhere to turn | Katharine Murphy | Related: Turnbull tried and failed to appease the right – now he has nowhere to turn | Katharine Murphy |
| Liberal Andrew Hastie joined the fray on Wednesday, arguing the Coalition’s campaign did not resonate with ordinary Australians. | Liberal Andrew Hastie joined the fray on Wednesday, arguing the Coalition’s campaign did not resonate with ordinary Australians. |
| Hastie also joined other conservatives in declaring Turnbull needed a mandate from the Coalition party room before he entered any minority government talks with crossbenchers. | Hastie also joined other conservatives in declaring Turnbull needed a mandate from the Coalition party room before he entered any minority government talks with crossbenchers. |
| Criticisms of the federal campaign have continued unabated since Saturday night. Liberals in New South Wales claim important information was withheld from the state campaign, leading to a diversion of resources to the wrong seats. | Criticisms of the federal campaign have continued unabated since Saturday night. Liberals in New South Wales claim important information was withheld from the state campaign, leading to a diversion of resources to the wrong seats. |
| Some Liberals also complain that the federal campaign director, Tony Nutt, was completely inaccessible, even to MPs in key marginal seats. | Some Liberals also complain that the federal campaign director, Tony Nutt, was completely inaccessible, even to MPs in key marginal seats. |
| In an interview with Guardian Australia on Wednesday, Williams criticised the Liberals for “failing to return fire” on Labor’s negative campaigning. | In an interview with Guardian Australia on Wednesday, Williams criticised the Liberals for “failing to return fire” on Labor’s negative campaigning. |
| He said: “All the signs called for return of the Turnbull government – and I thought, where are the Nationals in those signs?” | He said: “All the signs called for return of the Turnbull government – and I thought, where are the Nationals in those signs?” |
| “The campaign focused a lot on Malcolm Turnbull and perhaps not enough on the Coalition, I found that a little annoying,” Williams told Guardian Australia. | “The campaign focused a lot on Malcolm Turnbull and perhaps not enough on the Coalition, I found that a little annoying,” Williams told Guardian Australia. |
| The Nationals carried out an assessment of Turnbull’s campaign that reportedly concluded it was too “aloof” and presidential, and that the Nationals “outperformed the Liberals by a country mile in this election”. | The Nationals carried out an assessment of Turnbull’s campaign that reportedly concluded it was too “aloof” and presidential, and that the Nationals “outperformed the Liberals by a country mile in this election”. |
| The Nationals’ briefing also calls for a greater role in policy-making for the Coalition’s junior partner and a “complete rethink” of policy, according to a report in the Australian. | The Nationals’ briefing also calls for a greater role in policy-making for the Coalition’s junior partner and a “complete rethink” of policy, according to a report in the Australian. |
| The assessment reportedly found that the “grassroots” Nationals’ campaign trumped the Liberals “big picture” and succeeded in holding off Bill Shorten’s Medicare attack on the Coalition’s health plans. | The assessment reportedly found that the “grassroots” Nationals’ campaign trumped the Liberals “big picture” and succeeded in holding off Bill Shorten’s Medicare attack on the Coalition’s health plans. |
| The National party president, Larry Anthony, told the ABC on Wednesday that the Nationals would be “more assertive” in portfolios including agriculture and transport as a result of maintaining their numbers in parliament. | The National party president, Larry Anthony, told the ABC on Wednesday that the Nationals would be “more assertive” in portfolios including agriculture and transport as a result of maintaining their numbers in parliament. |
| The Nationals received a nationwide swing of 0.63%, compared with a 3.62% swing against the Liberals. | The Nationals received a nationwide swing of 0.63%, compared with a 3.62% swing against the Liberals. |
| Outside Queensland, the Nationals held all their seats and picked up Murray from the Liberals. But in Queensland, LNP members who sit in the Nationals caucus are facing a possible loss in Flynn and are behind in the count in Capricornia. | Outside Queensland, the Nationals held all their seats and picked up Murray from the Liberals. But in Queensland, LNP members who sit in the Nationals caucus are facing a possible loss in Flynn and are behind in the count in Capricornia. |
| “The campaign also did not include key Labor weaknesses — border security and asylum boats, debt and deficits and the prospect of a new carbon tax. Why not?’’ the Nationals’ campaign assessment reportedly said. | “The campaign also did not include key Labor weaknesses — border security and asylum boats, debt and deficits and the prospect of a new carbon tax. Why not?’’ the Nationals’ campaign assessment reportedly said. |
| Williams said: “Where the Liberal party failed was to return fire on totally wrong and misleading Labor campaigns. They obviously scared people, and the Liberals should’ve gone harder against it.” | Williams said: “Where the Liberal party failed was to return fire on totally wrong and misleading Labor campaigns. They obviously scared people, and the Liberals should’ve gone harder against it.” |
| He cited Labor’s campaign on Medicare, $100,000 degrees and the possibility of a GST rise. | He cited Labor’s campaign on Medicare, $100,000 degrees and the possibility of a GST rise. |
| The former defence minister David Johnston has described the campaign as “shocking” and overly-reliant on the “trite” message of jobs and growth. | The former defence minister David Johnston has described the campaign as “shocking” and overly-reliant on the “trite” message of jobs and growth. |
| He also criticised Turnbull for not attacking Labor on the issue of industrial law breaches by the militant construction union. | He also criticised Turnbull for not attacking Labor on the issue of industrial law breaches by the militant construction union. |
| On Tuesday the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, took “full responsibility” for the campaign. | On Tuesday the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, took “full responsibility” for the campaign. |
| On Wednesday the Nationals leader, Barnaby Joyce, told Nine’s Today program Turnbull was a better prime minister than Tony Abbott. | On Wednesday the Nationals leader, Barnaby Joyce, told Nine’s Today program Turnbull was a better prime minister than Tony Abbott. |
| Asked whether he was “impressed” with Turnbull as prime minister, Joyce replied: “I find he’s a good person.” | Asked whether he was “impressed” with Turnbull as prime minister, Joyce replied: “I find he’s a good person.” |
| Joyce agreed that the Nationals would “have a more active role in government”, as his members are demanding. | Joyce agreed that the Nationals would “have a more active role in government”, as his members are demanding. |