Originally published in The Australian Financial Review on October 22, 2013

The issues of coal seam gas and free trade are combining to create a perfect storm for the National Party, and in turn, the Coalition government. Tony Abbott obviously saw the clouds on the horizon before the election and responded by declaring that a Liberal would hold the Trade portfolio for the first time since Menzies was prime minister.

But while keeping the Nationals at arm’s length from trade negotiations might have been easy, holding their votes in the Senate could be much harder.

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