Newly minted NSW upper house MP Mark Latham tweeted on Thursday the Liberal decision to preference Labor ahead of his own One Nation party spelled doom for the Morrison government.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Latham listed a number of seats he suggested were made more vulnerable for the Coalition by virtue of this decision. While the Coalition's decision might weaken its position in seats with razor thin margins, it will strengthen Australian politics in general.
For too long, the major parties have been beholden to the fringe elements in Australian political life, including One Nation, which after the Al-Jazeera expose looks morally bankrupt, inept and way out of touch with mainstream Australia.
Putting aside the ethical issue of this type of undercover journalism, the public interest argument surely prevails when we see officials from a minor party ingratiating themselves with the powerful US gun lobby, avowing they want to get in bed with the US and seeking foreign donations to advance a mythical pro-gun cause.
One Nation, which has always presented itself as a party of white bread patriotism, was seen going cap in hand to a foreign country, seeking the National Rifle Association's help and advice to change a signature piece of legislation that has helped keep Australians safe since 1996.
It was revolting to watch.
No matter how One Nation tries to spin it, its ham-fisted effort to try to water down gun laws with foreign support shows how low politics in this country have sunk.
The timing couldn't have been worse for the party, the report coming less than a fortnight after the Christchurch mosque massacre and on the eve of the anniversary of the March For Our Lives movement in the United States, led by students demanding tougher gun control.
The danger of extremism and hate speech has been laid bare in recent days. We had One Nation defector Fraser Anning's statement on the day of the Christchurch terror attack, essentially blaming the victims, which attracted global condemnation.
The Al-Jazeera story has peeled back any veneer One Nation may have had about representing ordinary Australia. It's revealed a party of political opportunists who will plumb any depth to advance their quest for power. It deserves to be last on every how to vote card.