The Morrison government has been hit with a 45 -55 loss to Labor in the latest Newspoll as it prepares to enter the final sitting fortnight of 2018 in minority government for the first time.
Kerryn Phelps, the independent who snatched Malcolm Turnbull’s former seat of Wentworth from the Libeals, has robbed the Coalition of its majority in the Lower House after she was sworn on Monday morning.
Kerryn Phelps, the independent who snatched Malcolm Turnbull’s former seat of Wentworth, is sworn in. Source: SBS News
The government will still have effective control of the House, with Queensland MP Bob Katter offering consistent support on most matters.
But the crossbench, with its new member Dr Phelps, could have the numbers to force the setup of a federal anti-corruption watchdog, which the Greens and Labor also support.
Dr Kerryn Phelps has joined the crossbench. Source: AAP
Nationals MP Llew O’Brien may cross the floor on the watchdog, telling the New Daily a federal version of the NSW ICAC was a “no brainer”.
Attorney-General Christian Porter says he is “open” to reforms, but has previously expressed concern about over-complicating the regulatory systems for the public service.
The Coalition no longer has as majority in the Lower House after the independent was sworn on Monday morning. Source: SBS News
Scott Morrison is behind in the polls - although he is still the preferred Source: AAP
Thirty-four former judges have written to the prime minister, calling on the Coalition to cooperate on the design of a new watchdog.
Stephen Charles QC, a former Victorian judge, said it was “important for it to be bipartisan”, speaking with SBS News at Parliament House.
“In our view it is above politics. We think it's something that's desperately needed, and a National Integrity Commission would fill a gaping hole.”
The government will press ahead with sweeping decryption laws, designed to give police and intelligence agencies new powers to force tech companies to help them crack encrypted devices and messages.
It will also try to legislate new powers to strip Australian citizenship from convicted terrorists more easily.
Newspoll delivers bad news for Coalition after Victoria landslide
The Coalition's primary vote fell for a third Newspoll in a row to a near-record low of 34 per cent.
Scott Morrison doubled his lead as preferred prime minister over the past two weeks but the Coalition still trails Labor on a two-party-preferred split of 45 to 55 per cent, according to the poll published in The Australian on Sunday night.
Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten. Source: AAP
Mr Morrison increased his lead as the nation's preferred leader with a four-point lift to 46 per cent, while Opposition Leader Bill Shorten dropped two points to 34 per cent.
Labor retained 40 per cent of the primary vote while One Nation recorded a two-point increase to eight per cent. The Greens retained nine per cent of the primary vote.
The bad poll for the government comes after an electoral wipeout for the Victorian Liberals at the state level on the weekend, with the Andrews Labor government returned in a landslide victory.
