Wedge on trading hours

News comment by Australian politics expert, Dr Ian Cook:

"The ALP will drive a wedge between the Liberal and National parties when it comes to a bill on extending trading hours in Perth, due to be introduced in Parliament tomorrow.

The relationship between the Liberal and National parties has been affected by council amalgamations and spending on the Royalties for Regions, but they’ve usually been able to limit the impact of divisions between them.

The degree of anger from Liberal MPs and Colin Barnett’s personal stake in extending trading hours means this has the potential to become a wedge that will help to drive the Liberal and National parties apart.

Eric Ripper’s ALP is not united behind an extension of trading hours and, given that there was a recent referendum on the issue in which voters rejected an extension, Ripper will not support this bill.

This is a situation that minority governments often face, but it looks like a division between coalition partners that voters might perceive to reflect disunity and, as they say, in politics disunity is death."