NOT long after the Liberal leadership spill Pearce MHR Christian Porter declined to answer when asked who he voted for on Friday.
As well as asking who he voted for and why Yanchep News Online also asked Mr Porter whether he took into account now former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s WA GST promise when he cast his vote.
According to a report in The Weekend West Mr Porter first voted against a motion to spill the Liberal leadership but then voted for former home affairs minister Peter Dutton in both ballots.
Now former deputy Liberal party leader Julie Bishop lost out in the first ballot leaving Mr Dutton and former Treasurer Scott Morrison to contest the second ballot, which Mr Morrison won by 45 votes to 40.
Mr Porter also did not respond when asked if given all the upheaval and infighting of the past week whether it would be more likely Pearce voters would punish him by not voting for him at the next election.
But Mr Porter did congratulate Scott Morrison on his elevation to the leadership of the Liberal Party and becoming the Prime Minister of Australia.
“I also congratulate Josh Frydenberg on becoming the Liberal Party’s deputy leader,’’ he said.
“Scott was instrumental in securing the GST deal which finally gives West Australians certainty over future GST funding.
After a week that shocked most Australians that once again parliamentarians had replaced yet another prime minister Mr Porter said Labor still has not endorsed the Coalition Government’s GST deal.
“Neither has it delivered any policy alternative on the GST.
“Only the Coalition has delivered for the people of Western Australia.’’
He said he would serve the new Prime Minister in any ministerial capacity that he decided appropriate.
“I look forward to continuing the most important work of representing the people of Pearce right up to the election, whenever that may be and challenging the Labor candidate over her party’s failure to back the GST deal.”
Mr Turnbull was adamant he will leave Parliament sooner rather than later, which is likely to trigger a by-election and leave the new government with no majority and lead to a general election.
So it is possible Mr Porter, Labor candidate Kim Travers and others will soon be hearing firsthand what Pearce voters think about the removal of another prime minister while they are trying to convince voters to vote for them.
On Sunday, Mr Porter confirmed with Yanchep News Online he had voted for Mr Dutton in the leadership spill.
Mr Porter said at every point he had voted against changing prime ministers – in both the Abbott and Turnbull governments.
“Last week I voted against the spill but for Peter Dutton after the spill carried and for Josh Frydenberg as deputy,’’ he said.
“I admire Julie Bishop enormously for what she has done for Australia, Western Australia and the Liberal Party, however I thought it was time for a generational change.
“In the last two days of the week I was entirely focused on discharging my responsibility to obtain legal advice on the s44 issue in a way that was fair and even handed to everybody who might be effected by that advice but before going into the party room meeting I assured myself that the candidates were 100 per cent committed to the GST fix – and all candidates for the leadership were.
“I’m committed to winning Pearce and committed to securing a Coalition Government after the next election so that we secure the GST fix, which the whole WA Liberal team worked so hard for and which Scott Morrison as PM will make happen.’’
