Wilson Defends Coalition's One Nation Preference Decision
"The brutal truth is that the decision did not affect the outcome."
Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson has pushed back against criticism of the Coalition's decision to preference One Nation, arguing it had no bearing on the party's recent electoral defeat. Wilson characterized the assessment as "the brutal truth."
Decision Defended as Irrelevant to Outcome
When pressed on whether the Coalition had made the right call, Wilson acknowledged it was a decision that had been made and had delivered a result. However, he dismissed the question as essentially irrelevant, stating the preference arrangement likely would not have changed the final outcome.
Voter Behavior Tells a Different Story
Wilson pointed to polling booth data from Albury, which revealed that Liberal voters disregarded how-to-vote cards and instead preferenced independent candidate Michelle Milthorpe above One Nation. He suggested this pattern was not isolated.
"The same thing likely happened in other rural and regional seats," Wilson said, indicating a broader trend of voters making independent choices.
A Clear Message to the Party
Wilson concluded that voters had sent a clear and unmistakable message, and that the party's responsibility now is to listen and improve.