After the next election, if we have a hung parliament, the independents could return Scott Morrison as prime minister

Here's why that would be a betrayal

Credit: Independent Australia

One of the most powerful lines the “Voices of” independents use in their campaigning is the idea that a vote for a sitting Liberal member is really a vote for Barnaby Joyce-type denialism.

The independents argue—compellingly—that as much as Dave Sharma or Jason Falinski or Tim Wilson tell their electorates that they are “new Liberals”, that they believe in climate-change mitigation, or even that they are supportive of measures to do with gender equality or a Federal ICAC—even if all that is true—party discipline means these so-called new Liberals end up voting the same way as the old Liberals.

It is a powerful rhetorical line backed up by the fact that it is true.

Indeed, candidate Dr Sophie Scamps has said her Liberal opponent, Jason Falinski, admitted as much to her (though he denies saying it):

[S]he says she met Falinski at a mobile electorate office event and, when she asked him to speak up on climate change as a moderate voice in the Liberal party, he r…