State National Party MPs met at Parliament House today as former leader Brendon Grylls tried to retake the leadership from Terry Redman, claiming the Liberal/National alliance was not in a winnable position for the upcoming state election due in March.
State National Party MPs met at Parliament House today as former leader Brendon Grylls tried to retake the leadership from Terry Redman, claiming the Liberal-National alliance was not in a winnable position for the upcoming state election due in March.
Mr Grylls, who led the party from 2005 to 2013, has pitched a plan that would include a $5 per tonne tax on the state’s two biggest iron ore miners, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, and support for a sale of Western Power on the condition that all of the proceeds are reinvested into infrastructure.
Speaking to reporters before the meeting, he said his plan was aimed at winning the hearts and minds of country voters.
A lack of policy clout would be the party’s undoing in the upcoming election, Mr Grylls said, with politicians and members of the media happy to criticise but rarely presenting solutions.
The two big issues would be jobs and the state budget, and Mr Grylls said he believed that it was not likely the Commonwealth Grants Commission would allow the GST to return quickly enough to alleviate the state’s deficit problem.
There has been speculation that the Pilbara MP's bold move would include putting pressure on government alliance partner the Liberal Party to also replace its leader, Premier Colin Barnett.
Two possible contenders for the Liberal leadership, Transport Minister Dean Nalder and Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis, reportedly would not comment on the move within the Nationals today.
It is understood both had spoken to Mr Grylls about his policy proposals earlier this year.
Regional Development Minister Terry Redman may choose to stand aside, but if he wants to stay leader he’ll need to have a majority of the 12 state Nationals MPs.
Mr Grylls’ iron ore tax proposal has already been criticised on Monday by Mines and Petroleum Minister Sean L'Estrange, State Development Minister Bill Marmion and the Chamber of Minerals and Energy.
Chamber of Minerals and Energy chief executive Reg Howard-Smith said the plan was short-sighted.
He said it would be detrimental to the state's economy and that competitors would revel in the news.
"When royalties increase, so too does the contribution to the Federal Government, which means a loss of revenue for Western Australia," Mr Howard-Smith said.
"Mining royalties paid to the Western Australian government are estimated to account for 15 per cent of total revenue in 2016-17, with iron ore miners paying 90 per cent of those royalties.
"This is a substantial increase from 10 years ago when royalties accounted for just 5 per cent of revenue."
Mr Grylls, 43, stepped aside in 2013 and was replaced by Mr Redman.
Mr Grylls was leader when the Nationals agreed to form government with the Liberals in 2008 in a deal requiring that was able to implement the Royalties for Regions scheme, in which a quarter share of mining and petroleum royalties are invested into country areas.
Mr Barnett has been under pressure this year, with a Newspoll in May putting Labor in front ahead of next year's state election and the government's economic credentials floundering with both its debt and deficit at record highs.
