Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has described the Liberal Party's decision to preference One Nation in the upcoming Farrer byelection as a 'retrograde move'. Speaking at a climate and energy panel on Monday, Turnbull expressed his dismay at the party he once led.
Turnbull's Remarks
'I mean, look at the Liberal party – the party I’ve led in the parliament, in opposition and in government – instructing its voters to give preferences to One Nation in the byelection in Farrer. That would have been inconceivable during my time as prime minister, or indeed, Tony Abbott’s, or John Howard’s,' Turnbull stated.
He further criticised One Nation's stance on climate change, saying: 'One Nation – apart from preying on racism and division, its whole MO for 30 years, Pauline Hanson’s MO would be to divide Australia – is, of course, right out there in the climate change denial business. It says, climate change is rubbish, the science is not yet proven. [One Nation] is literally out of the dark ages in terms of economic reality.'
A Sad Development
Turnbull lamented the Liberal Party's decision as 'very, very sad' and 'a really retrograde move'. He urged Liberal voters in Farrer not to preference One Nation, advising them to put One Nation last on their ballot papers.
The former prime minister was speaking on a panel with former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Christiana Figueres (diplomat and architect of the Paris Climate Agreement), and Anna Skarbek (CEO of Climateworks Centre), in conversation with Thom Woodroofe, for the launch of his book 'Power, Prosperity & Planet: Climate and Energy Policy for All'.
