Macfarlane defection faces hurdle

The Nationals could earn an extra seat in Federal Parliament if a defection by Liberal MP Ian Macfarlane is approved.
The Queensland MP sought to join the Nationals last week and the Liberal National Party state executive will meet on Monday to further discuss the move, after local party members approved it 102-34 on Saturday.
If successful, Nationals leader Warren Truss was expected to seek a meeting with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for an extra position in Cabinet, taking the party’s representation on the frontbench from three to four.
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Under the Coalition agreement, the Nationals are allocated a certain number of spots based on the number of elected MPs.
LNP president Gary Spence said the state executive was split over Mr Macfarlane’s move, and added new rules to ‘lock-in’ members were being drafted to prevent similar defections in the future.
“I think it is going to be a very, very tight vote,’’ Mr Spence told The Australian.
“When Ian Macfarlane approached me to discuss this matter a couple of months ago, in the absence of any rules to govern the circumstances like this we agreed it would need the approval of the party, both local and the state executive.
“I have now also asked the LNP’s legal adviser to put together a committee to consider by-laws or other mechanism to guide the party in the future when circumstances like these again arise.’’
Nationals senator Matt Canavan said the party deserved another seat if Mr Macfarlane gained the final approval.
“I do think the Coalition agreement should be adhered to, and it’s always been one which has been in accordance to the ratio between the two parties,” he said.
“And even when that ratio changes, so should the ministerial ratios as well.”
Attorney-General George Brandis, also a Queensland politician, has previously stated that the National Party was entitled to its share of ministries.
But Senator Brandis said doubt remained over Mr Macfarlane’s methods.
“No backbencher can force a Cabinet reshuffle on a prime minister by swapping parties in order to game the system,” he said.
“I don’t believe that Mr Macfarlane should have done what he did.”
– with ABC