" Bitter factional infighting has torn apart public Coalition
support for a Constitutional change that would guarantee federal funds
can flow directly to more than 500 local governments after key
hard-right elements publicly railed against the case for a ‘yes’ vote in
a torrid Senate debate.
After more than a year of publicly backing the case for change, Liberals including Shadow Attorney General George Brandis, have openly attacked the proposal to recognise local government in the Constitution as tensions between the Liberals and Nationals rise.
The smouldering friction between the two Coalition parties ignited in the Senate on Wednesday afternoon putting a serious question mark over whether formal Opposition support for the ‘yes’ case in forthcoming referendum remains intact."
" However any backflip on referendum support by Mr Abbott would represent a betrayal of Coalition partners the Nationals who, ...........have remained steadfast supporters of formalising the ability of Canberra to directly fund local government projects like the $3.5 billion Roads to Recovery scheme.
As a party that is largely based in rural and country areas, the Nationals have the most to lose from the referendum collapsing or being lost because dozens of regional local government projects and schemes that now attracts funds from Canberra could be put in jeopardy after two High Court decisions found existing direct funding mechanisms unconstitutional."
The above are extricates of the report in Govt news -to read the full article at http://www.governmentnews.com.au/2013/06/19/article/Liberals-support-for-referendum-shatters/OVEKGZQLDW.html
After more than a year of publicly backing the case for change, Liberals including Shadow Attorney General George Brandis, have openly attacked the proposal to recognise local government in the Constitution as tensions between the Liberals and Nationals rise.
The smouldering friction between the two Coalition parties ignited in the Senate on Wednesday afternoon putting a serious question mark over whether formal Opposition support for the ‘yes’ case in forthcoming referendum remains intact."
" However any backflip on referendum support by Mr Abbott would represent a betrayal of Coalition partners the Nationals who, ...........have remained steadfast supporters of formalising the ability of Canberra to directly fund local government projects like the $3.5 billion Roads to Recovery scheme.
As a party that is largely based in rural and country areas, the Nationals have the most to lose from the referendum collapsing or being lost because dozens of regional local government projects and schemes that now attracts funds from Canberra could be put in jeopardy after two High Court decisions found existing direct funding mechanisms unconstitutional."
The above are extricates of the report in Govt news -to read the full article at http://www.governmentnews.com.au/2013/06/19/article/Liberals-support-for-referendum-shatters/OVEKGZQLDW.html
