Ed. So much for representative democracy...
Toe the line, says PM August 09, 2005
PRIME Minister John Howard has warned dissident government backbenchers that their first loyalty is to the joint party room, not their state.
In what one government backbencher described as "gentle innuendo", Mr Howard told the six new Coalition senators sworn in today to savour the moment ö and toe the line.
"Whatever affiliations you have, your first loyalty is to this party room," a party room spokesman quoted Mr Howard as telling the meeting.
But the spokesman added: "That's something that is normally said when we welcome new members and new senators."
Incoming Nationals senators Barnaby Joyce and Fiona Nash have been outspoken in their opposition to the full sale of Telstra and elements of the Government's proposed industrial relations changes.
But they and the other four new Coalition senators ö Liberals Russell Trood, Michael Ronaldson, Judith Adams and Stephen Parry ö were met with warm applause at the meeting.
Mr Howard told the meeting the Government had an enormous opportunity with its one-seat majority in the Senate ö the first time a government has controlled both houses of parliament since 1981. But he said Coalition unity was crucial.
"Of all the agreements which have contributed to the Government's success, none has been more important than the unity between our two parties," Mr Howard said.
"We have an enormous opportunity now that we have a majority in the Senate. The reason we have a majority in the Senate is because we received a majority of the votes."
Mr Howard said some newspaper commentary had likened the Government's control of the Senate to a central African coup ö "but this was a democratic result, arrived at democratically".
Mr Howard began his speech to the meeting ö the first since John Anderson quit as deputy prime minister in June ö by welcoming new Nationals leader Mark Vaile and deputy party leader Warren Truss to their new positions.
He paid tribute to Mr Anderson, describing him as a stalwart friend of the Coalition.
He praised the diverse backgrounds of the new senators ö who range from farmers to ceremony directors, academics to accountants.
Mr Vaile also warned Coalition backbenchers to look at the national interest, the spokesman said.
"While many of us are focussed on domestic issues, the first criteria for all that we do should be the national interest," Mr Vaile said.
-- Jim Union Against Multi-culty
"Abolish Multi-Culty and String Up The Traitors!"
