VICTORIAN Coalition MPs are far from united in their views on the north-south pipeline, says PETER HUNT
The Victorian Coalition's policy backflip on taking water from the controversial north-south pipeline has exposed a rift between urban Liberals and their National Party partners.
One leading Liberal MP, who did not wish to be named, said Liberal urban water spokeswoman Louise Asher was "fuming" and had been "hung out to dry" on the issue.
Two weeks ago, Ms Asher was given the task, by her leadership team, of announcing the Coalition would "not take" water from the pipeline.
That position was reinforced by Nationals water spokesman Peter Walsh in an ABC television Stateline interview, in which he reaffirmed the "no take" policy.
But Liberal Leader Ted Baillieu upended that position on Monday last week by announcing the Coalition would now take water from the $750 million pipeline to meet Melbourne's critical needs.
The lack of party consultation by the Coalition leadership team on developing the "no take" policy and consequent backflip upset at least one metropolitan Liberal, who said others felt the same.
"We read about it in the papers," the MP said.
The senior Liberal contacted by The Weekly Times said some metropolitan members were also alarmed at the influence and power of the Nationals in the Coalition, especially on water.
"The Nats got (as part of the Coalition deal) a huge percentage of the shadow ministry, the key portfolio of water and managed to get a guarantee there would be no three-cornered contests in seats they hold," the Liberal said.
"Ken Jasper (National MP for Murray Valley) will retire and the Libs would have liked to contest the seat.
"A deal has also been done on the seats for the Eastern Region. The Nats are going to take the No. 2 position."
At the 2006 election, the Nationals' Peter Hall was the fifth and last candidate to be elected to the Eastern Region Upper House seat on preferences in an open contest.
The deal means Liberal Eastern Province member Edward O'Donahue will have to win the seat on preferences.
Mr O'Donahue refused to comment on the issue, referring the matter to Mr Baillieu's office.
Mr Baillieu was on leave this week, but his media adviser Simon Troeth said that he was unaware of such a deal.
As for how the pipeline policy decision was reached, Mr Troeth said the party did not comment on internal matters or anonymous comments.
But another leading country Liberal MP said that while the issue of the pipeline policy could have been better handled, the Coalition partnership was working well.
"I look at the people (in the Coalition) and I know we could form a bloody good government," the Liberal said.
"We have a good balance and there's been no conflict up until this point of time."
"Yes, we didn't handle it (the pipeline policy) well, but I think that was a problem with the language."
Nationals leader Peter Ryan said he had "certainly" been consulted on pipeline policy decisions of the past two weeks, and denied last week's announcement by Ted Baillieu was a backflip.
"The Coalition didn't do a backflip . . . it's (the policy change) no more than an extension from where we were," Mr Ryan said.
He said it was only common sense that Melbourne should take water for critical needs, but the Coalition was opposed to taking water on a permanent basis from north of the Great Dividing Range.
