As the Prime Minister of the day strides to the despatch box in Question Time, the cameras focus on the back benchers sitting directly behind him as they nod dutifully and call out “hear, hear”, or point accusingly as they call out “shame.”
These people are deliberately placed there in order to raise their profile and, in the case of the Coalition, to give the impression that they actually have some women in their party.
But recent experience should make them wonder if this is a good strategy.
Seated behind Tony Abbott were his faithful blondes, Natasha Griggs and Karen McNamara, both of whom lost their seats in the 2016 election.
They were replaced by Malcolm Turnbull’s girls, Ann Sudmalis and Julia Banks. Both have said they will not recontest the next election as Liberal candidates citing bullying as the reason, with Ms Banks quitting the party and moving to the crossbench for the remainder of her term.
Scott Morrison has placed the relatively-unknown SA Member for Boothby, Nicole Flint, behind him and, seemingly on cue, a seat that has been held by the Liberal Party since 1949 is looking shaky.
A recent ReachTEL poll put Ms Flint ahead 51-49 per cent on a two-party preferred basis. But the poll also found that about 60 per cent of voters are opposed to oil drilling in the Bight – an endeavour that her government is encouraging.
About 84 per cent of poll respondents supported declaring the area a World Heritage zone because of the little known Great Southern Reef which is estimated to generate $10 billion each year for the Australian economy through fisheries and tourism. That’s about 50 per cent more than its more famous cousin, the Great Barrier Reef.
Whilst a seat behind the despatch box might make a member more recognisable, it also indelibly associates their image with the toxic policies being spouted by the Minister in front of them.
If I was Nicole, I would be changing seats.
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