Lambie will struggle to launch party: expert
TASMANIAN Senator Jacqui Lambie will be hard-pressed to get her new party off the ground, a political expert says.
The independent senator yesterday announced her plans to start the Jacqui Lambie Network and field candidates in the next federal election.
But Monash University senior political lecturer Dr Nick Economou said the recent past demonstrated how difficult it could be for small parties to last.
‘‘We’ve had instances of high profile, non-major party people who have been distracted by the demands of trying to establish a national party,’’ he said.
‘‘I’m thinking here of Bob Katter, Pauline Hanson and even Clive Palmer.
‘‘It takes a lot of time and energy to run a party.’’
Senator Lambie released a list of the party’s ‘‘core beliefs’’, which include opposition to ‘‘sharia law’’, dedicated parliamentary seats for indigenous Australians and the regulation of fuel and power prices.
‘‘There are many more policies and political positions that are being worked on,’’ she said.
‘‘Since I’ve taken my seat in Parliament I have voted on many pieces of legislation and made my position clear on dozens of important matters.’’
A spokesman for Senator Lambie said the party may run candidates at the next state election, due in 2018.
Senator Lambie was first elected as a Palmer United Party candidate, but split to become an independent last year.
Dr Economou said Senator Lambie may encounter similar difficulties within her own party.
‘‘Leadership-dominated minor parties tend to struggle, because the irony is that she’ll end up with a tense relationship with her membership,’’ he said.
‘‘Most of these parties see the membership as just a group of people to get the leader elected.’’
Under Australian electoral laws, people can lodge an objection to the party’s registration before the end of April.
Some of the Jacqui Lambie Network's "core beliefs"
- Support for the Australian Defence Force
- Members to put their state first in all decisions
- Opposition to "Sharia Law"
- Dedicated seats for indigenous Australians in Parliament
- Tougher regulation of Halal certification
- Regulation of fuel and power prices