Inside Story

For better or worse

In the wake of the Ian Macfarlane affair, Peter Clarke talks to Brian Costar about Barnaby Joyce, Malcolm Turnbull and the balancing act that keeps the Coalition afloat

Peter Clarke 18 December 2015 78 words

Succession problems: agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce, prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and deputy prime minister Warren Truss during question time in October. Mick Tsikas/AAP Image


Ian Macfarlane’s failed attempt to switch from the Liberal Party to the Nationals highlights problems in Queensland’s merger of the two main anti-Labor parties and suggests tensions within the federal Coalition. With a leadership change looming for the Nationals, Peter Clarke talks to Brian Costar, emeritus professor of politics at the Swinburne Institute for Social Research, about Barnaby Joyce, Malcolm Turnbull and the balancing act that keeps the Coalition afloat.

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Running time: 21 mins 36 secs