Federal Treasurer claims independents are ‘a road to ruin’

Josh Frydenberg has taken aim at independent political candidates who “refuse to come clean” and claimed a Parliament full of independents is “a road to ruin”.

It comes as a swathe of Coalition seats come under threat from well-funded and well-supported independent candidates.

That includes Mr Frydenberg’s blue ribbon Liberal seat of Kooyong, a seat he’s held since 2010.

Mr Frydenberg hit out at independent challenger Monique Ryan, who he says is a “fake independent”.

“In the case of my political opponent here, they’re a former member of the Labor Party for a number of years and they refuse to come clean with the local community,” he told Elise Elliott, filling in for Dee Dee.

“They were saying they’re a political clean skin with no political background and that is clearly not the case.”

The Federal Treasurer said a Parliament full of independents would “really be a road to ruin”.

“You won’t be able to get clear decision-making … if you have to run off to get the approval of a large number of crossbenchers before you make any major decision then that is a recipe for chaos.”

Press PLAY below to hear Elise Elliott’s interview with Josh Frydenberg in full

Image: Sam Mooy/Getty Images