Christian Porter resigns from WA Cabinet to go federal

June 12th, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

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Western Australia’s Treasurer has shocked colleagues by announcing he will resign from State Parliament so he can go into federal politics. Christian Porter wants the safe federal Liberal seat of Pearce, currently held by Judi Moylan.

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DAVID MARK: Western Australia’s Treasurer, Christian Porter, has shocked his colleagues by announcing he’ll resign from State Parliament so he can go into federal politics.

Mr Porter is after the safe federal Liberal seat of Pearce, which is now held by Judi Moylan.

Judi Moylan has already said that this will be her last term in the Federal Parliament.

Mr Porter will sit on the backbench in Western Australia’s Parliament until the next state or federal election.

He was also the attorney-general, so his departure leaves two big holes in Colin Barnett’s Cabinet.

David Weber reports.

DAVID WEBER: Christian Porter has acknowledged that not all of his colleagues think his decision is the best one.

But he says he’s committed to going to Canberra.

CHRISTIAN PORTER: Today I am lodging a nomination for pre-selection for endorsement as the Liberal candidate for the federal parliamentary seat of Pearce.

It’s not been a decision where I’ve had the luxury of canvassing a wide variety of views and in fact until the decision was made last weekend the only people that I had discussed the issue with were my wife and the Premier.

Some people ultimately will understand why I’ve made this decision. Other people will find it a difficult decision to understand.

DAVID WEBER: Colleagues had touted Christian Porter as the next leader of the Liberal Party, after Colin Barnett. But Mr Porter says he’s never sought that position.

CHRISTIAN PORTER: You’ve got be absolutely certain that you’re living your own version of your career and not someone’s expected version of your career. And I’ve learned a few things about myself over the last four years; the things that I’m good at, the things that I’m not so good at, the things that I’m most passionate about.

And I’ve come to a view, which I cannot shake now, that I could make a contribution to the advancement of a number of very important issues. And I’ve also formed the view that my greatest chance of making any kind of impact with respect to those issues is in a federal parliamentary setting.

DAVID WEBER: Christian Porter only entered state Parliament in 2008, after the death of the MP for Murdoch.

He denies he’s leaving because he thinks the Liberals may not win next year’s state election.

CHRISTIAN PORTER: What makes this decision for me so personally difficult is I think that this has been a very good government. It’ll continue to be a good government. I think its electoral prospects of success are strong. There are no certainties in politics. But I think it is a good government and that makes this decision even more difficult.

DAVID WEBER: The Premier Colin Barnett says he’s disappointed Mr Porter has decided to go into federal politics.

Mr Barnett says he intends leading the Liberal Party for some time yet, and if re-elected as Premier, wants to serve the full term.

He says there was no discussion with Mr Porter about a potential succession plan.

COLIN BARNETT: I tried to persuade him for going, if you like, one more electoral cycle in state politics but he said his mind was made up and he wanted to pursue federal politics.

I can understand that. That has been his ambition and I respect his decision and I wish him well. I wish him well. I think he will be very successful in federal politics, as he has been in the state scene.

JOURNALIST: Will it make it harder for the Liberals to win the next election, Premier, the state election?

COLIN BARNETT: Look it leaves right now a hole in our government. That will be filled and we’ll go into the next state election with some further changes obviously in the cabinet.

But I don’t think it makes it harder. We will miss his input, particularly in Parliament and in handling legislation; both drafting and debating of legislation. That was Christian’s great strength was on legislation and performance in the Parliament.

DAVID WEBER: One leader’s loss is another leader’s gain.

The Federal Liberal leader, Tony Abbott.

TONY ABBOTT: There’ll certainly be a place in my team in Canberra for good candidates and I am really thrilled and encouraged that people of great quality, like Christian Porter, are putting their hands up to run for the Coalition at the next federal election.

I think it is a vote of confidence in the federal Coalition and it’s a sign that the people of Australia want change.

DAVID WEBER: Colin Barnett is taking on the role of treasurer and Norman Moore the Justice portfolio, but only for the short term.

DAVID MARK: David Weber.