'No confidence in Labor': Libs seek to form government
Saturday's snap poll, called after Premier Jeremy Rockliff lost a vote of no-confidence in June just 16 months after the previous election, has returned a very similar parliament.
The Liberals picked up a 3.5 per cent swing with counting continuing on Saturday night, with Labor losing about three per cent of their vote.
Labor's primary vote of about 26 per cent is on track to be the party's worst-ever result in Tasmania.
The Liberals have locked in 14 seats and could gain one or two more, short of the 18 required for majority but ahead of Labor's nine confirmed seats.
Speaking alongside his family, Mr Rockliff claimed a win, saying a Labor-led motion of no-confidence had backfired on their leader Dean Winter.
"A little over six weeks ago, the leader of the opposition forced this unnecessary election on the Tasmanian people by moving a vote of no-confidence," Mr Rockliff said.
"The people of Tasmania, in return, have said they have no confidence in the Labor Party to form government.
"It is our team ... who will achieve the most seats in this election, with a significantly increased vote."
Mr Rockliff said he intended to visit the governor and ask her to recommission his government.
However, Mr Rockliff faces dealings with a crossbench including at least three independents who are opposed to his pet-project the new AFL stadium.
Labor could potentially form government with the Greens, who appear set to hold five seats, and independents.
Mr Winter didn't concede in his election night speech but again ruled out doing a formal deal with the Greens to govern.
But he seemed to indicate Labor would attempt to govern if the Liberals could not, saying it was "uncertain" how Mr Rockliff would achieve a majority.
"If the Liberals are unable to form a government, another election is not an option," Mr Winter said.
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has urged Mr Winter to pick up the phone and have a conversation about working together.
"We are ready to work collaboratively in the best interest of Tasmanians," Dr Woodruff said.
Labor turned down an opportunity to work with the Greens directly after the no-confidence motion in Mr Rockliff.
Independents Kristie Johnston and Craig Garland, who voted no-confidence in Mr Rockliff, have been returned to parliament.
Anti-salmon farming independent Peter George has been successful in gaining a state seat after a strong run at the recent federal poll.
The Liberals, who have been in power since 2014, have been in minority since 2023 when two MPs quit to the crossbench.
The Liberals entered the campaign with 14 seats and Labor 10.
It could take weeks for the final count to be completed, with the last postal votes not expected to arrive until the end of July.
The no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff, tabled by Labor and supported by the Greens and three crossbenchers, was critical of budget debt and a bungled ferry delivery.
Tasmania appears set for another minority Liberal government but the party must secure the support of left-leaning independents to rule.
Saturday's snap poll, called after Premier Jeremy Rockliff lost a vote of no-confidence in June just 16 months after the previous election, has returned a very similar parliament.
The Liberals picked up a 3.5 per cent swing with counting continuing on Saturday night, with Labor losing about three per cent of their vote.
Labor's primary vote of about 26 per cent is on track to be the party's worst-ever result in Tasmania.
The Liberals have locked in 14 seats and could gain one or two more, short of the 18 required for majority but ahead of Labor's nine confirmed seats.
Speaking alongside his family, Mr Rockliff claimed a win, saying a Labor-led motion of no-confidence had backfired on their leader Dean Winter.
"A little over six weeks ago, the leader of the opposition forced this unnecessary election on the Tasmanian people by moving a vote of no-confidence," Mr Rockliff said.
"The people of Tasmania, in return, have said they have no confidence in the Labor Party to form government.
"It is our team ... who will achieve the most seats in this election, with a significantly increased vote."
Mr Rockliff said he intended to visit the governor and ask her to recommission his government.
However, Mr Rockliff faces dealings with a crossbench including at least three independents who are opposed to his pet-project the new AFL stadium.
Labor could potentially form government with the Greens, who appear set to hold five seats, and independents.
Mr Winter didn't concede in his election night speech but again ruled out doing a formal deal with the Greens to govern.
But he seemed to indicate Labor would attempt to govern if the Liberals could not, saying it was "uncertain" how Mr Rockliff would achieve a majority.
"If the Liberals are unable to form a government, another election is not an option," Mr Winter said.
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has urged Mr Winter to pick up the phone and have a conversation about working together.
"We are ready to work collaboratively in the best interest of Tasmanians," Dr Woodruff said.
Labor turned down an opportunity to work with the Greens directly after the no-confidence motion in Mr Rockliff.
Independents Kristie Johnston and Craig Garland, who voted no-confidence in Mr Rockliff, have been returned to parliament.
Anti-salmon farming independent Peter George has been successful in gaining a state seat after a strong run at the recent federal poll.
The Liberals, who have been in power since 2014, have been in minority since 2023 when two MPs quit to the crossbench.
The Liberals entered the campaign with 14 seats and Labor 10.
It could take weeks for the final count to be completed, with the last postal votes not expected to arrive until the end of July.
The no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff, tabled by Labor and supported by the Greens and three crossbenchers, was critical of budget debt and a bungled ferry delivery.
Tasmania appears set for another minority Liberal government but the party must secure the support of left-leaning independents to rule.
Saturday's snap poll, called after Premier Jeremy Rockliff lost a vote of no-confidence in June just 16 months after the previous election, has returned a very similar parliament.
The Liberals picked up a 3.5 per cent swing with counting continuing on Saturday night, with Labor losing about three per cent of their vote.
Labor's primary vote of about 26 per cent is on track to be the party's worst-ever result in Tasmania.
The Liberals have locked in 14 seats and could gain one or two more, short of the 18 required for majority but ahead of Labor's nine confirmed seats.
Speaking alongside his family, Mr Rockliff claimed a win, saying a Labor-led motion of no-confidence had backfired on their leader Dean Winter.
"A little over six weeks ago, the leader of the opposition forced this unnecessary election on the Tasmanian people by moving a vote of no-confidence," Mr Rockliff said.
"The people of Tasmania, in return, have said they have no confidence in the Labor Party to form government.
"It is our team ... who will achieve the most seats in this election, with a significantly increased vote."
Mr Rockliff said he intended to visit the governor and ask her to recommission his government.
However, Mr Rockliff faces dealings with a crossbench including at least three independents who are opposed to his pet-project the new AFL stadium.
Labor could potentially form government with the Greens, who appear set to hold five seats, and independents.
Mr Winter didn't concede in his election night speech but again ruled out doing a formal deal with the Greens to govern.
But he seemed to indicate Labor would attempt to govern if the Liberals could not, saying it was "uncertain" how Mr Rockliff would achieve a majority.
"If the Liberals are unable to form a government, another election is not an option," Mr Winter said.
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has urged Mr Winter to pick up the phone and have a conversation about working together.
"We are ready to work collaboratively in the best interest of Tasmanians," Dr Woodruff said.
Labor turned down an opportunity to work with the Greens directly after the no-confidence motion in Mr Rockliff.
Independents Kristie Johnston and Craig Garland, who voted no-confidence in Mr Rockliff, have been returned to parliament.
Anti-salmon farming independent Peter George has been successful in gaining a state seat after a strong run at the recent federal poll.
The Liberals, who have been in power since 2014, have been in minority since 2023 when two MPs quit to the crossbench.
The Liberals entered the campaign with 14 seats and Labor 10.
It could take weeks for the final count to be completed, with the last postal votes not expected to arrive until the end of July.
The no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff, tabled by Labor and supported by the Greens and three crossbenchers, was critical of budget debt and a bungled ferry delivery.
Tasmania appears set for another minority Liberal government but the party must secure the support of left-leaning independents to rule.
Saturday's snap poll, called after Premier Jeremy Rockliff lost a vote of no-confidence in June just 16 months after the previous election, has returned a very similar parliament.
The Liberals picked up a 3.5 per cent swing with counting continuing on Saturday night, with Labor losing about three per cent of their vote.
Labor's primary vote of about 26 per cent is on track to be the party's worst-ever result in Tasmania.
The Liberals have locked in 14 seats and could gain one or two more, short of the 18 required for majority but ahead of Labor's nine confirmed seats.
Speaking alongside his family, Mr Rockliff claimed a win, saying a Labor-led motion of no-confidence had backfired on their leader Dean Winter.
"A little over six weeks ago, the leader of the opposition forced this unnecessary election on the Tasmanian people by moving a vote of no-confidence," Mr Rockliff said.
"The people of Tasmania, in return, have said they have no confidence in the Labor Party to form government.
"It is our team ... who will achieve the most seats in this election, with a significantly increased vote."
Mr Rockliff said he intended to visit the governor and ask her to recommission his government.
However, Mr Rockliff faces dealings with a crossbench including at least three independents who are opposed to his pet-project the new AFL stadium.
Labor could potentially form government with the Greens, who appear set to hold five seats, and independents.
Mr Winter didn't concede in his election night speech but again ruled out doing a formal deal with the Greens to govern.
But he seemed to indicate Labor would attempt to govern if the Liberals could not, saying it was "uncertain" how Mr Rockliff would achieve a majority.
"If the Liberals are unable to form a government, another election is not an option," Mr Winter said.
Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has urged Mr Winter to pick up the phone and have a conversation about working together.
"We are ready to work collaboratively in the best interest of Tasmanians," Dr Woodruff said.
Labor turned down an opportunity to work with the Greens directly after the no-confidence motion in Mr Rockliff.
Independents Kristie Johnston and Craig Garland, who voted no-confidence in Mr Rockliff, have been returned to parliament.
Anti-salmon farming independent Peter George has been successful in gaining a state seat after a strong run at the recent federal poll.
The Liberals, who have been in power since 2014, have been in minority since 2023 when two MPs quit to the crossbench.
The Liberals entered the campaign with 14 seats and Labor 10.
It could take weeks for the final count to be completed, with the last postal votes not expected to arrive until the end of July.
The no-confidence motion against Mr Rockliff, tabled by Labor and supported by the Greens and three crossbenchers, was critical of budget debt and a bungled ferry delivery.
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The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
Hanson tests Coalition resolve on net zero
'We are the Reform of [Australia] because everything that Nigel Farage stands for, I've been talking about for years, for nearly 30 years.' Hanson's anti-immigration party, which has courted controversy for decades for its stances on minority groups, added two senators at the May election, doubling its number of seats. Joyce's campaign has gained support from backbenchers Garth Hamilton, Tony Pasin, Alex Antic, a slew of Nationals, and the expanded right-wing Senate bloc of One Nation and United Australia Party's Ralph Babet. Frontbencher Andrew Hastie has also been fighting internally to overturn the net zero pledge, with the policy currently under review within the Coalition. Liberals have also spoken out about Indigenous welcome ceremonies after Ley indicated support for the practice. And in another sign of internal angst, former frontbencher Sarah Henderson argued in last week's private party room meeting that the Coalition should adopt as formal policy a push by Antic to enshrine in law the existence of only two genders. Henderson declined to comment. Taken together, the thrusts underline the depth of feeling among right-wing Coalition MPs as Ley aims to correct course from the perceived failings of the Dutton era. Institute of Public Affairs deputy head Daniel Wild said in Australia, as in the UK, there was a growing gap between the wishes of right-wing voters and the offerings of centre-right parties on cultural issues, immigration and green energy. 'What you're now seeing is a new bloc, whether it's people from One Nation or Barnaby Joyce, and others, giving voice to those concerns in a way that they haven't before,' Wild said. 'I don't think Liberals are going to die out, but I think the risk of irrelevancy is increasing.' Hume, one of only two Liberals to vote against Hanson's motion, pushed back against the One Nation leader, saying voters 'made it clear at the ballot box that they expect serious, credible action on climate change'. 'How can we keep the seats we have and win back the seats we've lost, without hearing that message?' she said. The UN's chief climate diplomat has urged Australia to continue its push towards net zero, warning that failure to stabilise the climate would cut living standards $7000 per person per year by 2050. 'Climate disasters are already costing Australian home owners $4 billion a year – and that figure is only going one way,' said Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Outspoken conservative backbencher Hamilton warned of the risks of a Labor-lite agenda. 'We need to be wary of what's happened to our sister party in the UK,' he said, cautioning that Australia's preferential and compulsory system provided some protection from a third-party takeover. Loading Hamilton said public debate on the Coalition's direction should not be silenced, arguing Dutton did not lose because Australians rejected conservative values, but rather because of the Coalition's deficient policy agenda. Hanson said she was open to picking off Coalition MPs who felt uncomfortable with Ley's more centrist approach that has seen her spruik the case for quotas for preselecting women, dump the idea of building nuclear plants, and install Paul Scarr – who on Monday highlighted the positives of migration – into the immigration portfolio. The Nationals and Liberal Party briefly split after the election. During that period, Liberal MPs discussed privately the prospect of creating a new city-based party to espouse small-l liberal values unencumbered by conservative regional MPs. Scott Morrison canvassed the idea among his close colleagues after the 2022 election, according to several sources involved in those talks who did not want to be identified. Political historian Paul Strangio, an emeritus professor at Monash University, said Ley's message of modernising the party risked her being received 'as a kind of apostate'. 'Diagnosing what needs to be done doesn't mean Ley can magic away a quarter of a century of a conservative populist creep by the Liberals dating back to the Howard era that in essence has involved the party fighting a rearguard action against the evolving direction of Australian society,' he said. 'The resistance she will inevitably encounter is already evident in the incipient revolt within the Coalition against a net zero carbon emissions target. 'A major question looms over whether Ley has the requisite network of allies, intellectual and rhetorical force, strategic nous and fortitude to perform the diabolically difficult task of reversing 25 years of rightwards Liberal drift.'
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Coalition splinters as heat rises on net-zero policy
A key climate target might be dumped by the coalition as an increasing number of Liberals cast doubt over the future of the opposition's commitment to net zero. Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce on Monday launched a bid to repeal the net-zero emissions by 2050 reduction target. But his private member's bill is guaranteed to fail, because it lacks the support of the government which has a majority in the House of Representatives. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley maintains the coalition will wait until after a review of its disastrous May election loss before making formal policy decisions. Despite a growing number of Liberal politicians speaking out against stronger climate change action, she doubled down on waiting for the review. "We're going to bring all of those views together ... to flesh out the different perspectives, the expert advice and, of course, focus on this government's miserable failure when it comes to energy policy," she told Sky News. Asked about the political impact of dumping the climate target, Ms Ley said she would not foreshadow the review's outcome. Many Liberal moderates want the net-zero target retained so the party is seen to be taking climate action seriously. But Mr Joyce said there was no reason why abandoning the targets should be off the table. "This is not about leadership. This is not about trying to create some sort of discordant note," he told reporters ahead of the bill's introduction. "There's not anything in this bill that the coalition didn't have the same position we voted for." Mr Joyce has the backing of his former leadership rival Michael McCormack. The two ex-deputy prime ministers are critical of Nationals leader David Littleproud's handling of the aftermath of the election defeat. The coalition reunited at the end of May following a messy week-long split driven by divisions which included energy policy. Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean, a former deputy leader of the NSW Liberal Party, said "political stunts are no substitutes for real policies". "The voters overwhelmingly gave their verdict on Labor's climate policies, compared with the coalition's, and if Labor's massive majority doesn't send out mandate signals, well you're probably not paying attention," he said. Mr Littleproud's leadership was contested after the election over the party's adoption of the climate target. Liberal MP Garth Hamilton has also backed Nationals MPs trying to jettison the climate target. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson launched her own bid to scrap net zero in the upper house on Monday. But the coalition largely stood united against the issue, with only Nationals senator Matt Canavan and firebrand Liberal Alex Antic voting with the minor party on the motion. Senator Canavan had said One Nation was "catching up" to his colleagues in the Nationals party, specifically Mr Joyce. "I give him credit for doing this: he's put it on the agenda, he's dominating the media discussions," he told the Senate. "We are here to make laws, not just statements, so we've got to repeal this rubbish." Only five out of the coalition's 27 senators showed up for the motion, but one was in the chair and exercised his right not to vote, while Liberal senators Jane Hume and Andrew McLachlan voted against it. A key climate target might be dumped by the coalition as an increasing number of Liberals cast doubt over the future of the opposition's commitment to net zero. Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce on Monday launched a bid to repeal the net-zero emissions by 2050 reduction target. But his private member's bill is guaranteed to fail, because it lacks the support of the government which has a majority in the House of Representatives. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley maintains the coalition will wait until after a review of its disastrous May election loss before making formal policy decisions. Despite a growing number of Liberal politicians speaking out against stronger climate change action, she doubled down on waiting for the review. "We're going to bring all of those views together ... to flesh out the different perspectives, the expert advice and, of course, focus on this government's miserable failure when it comes to energy policy," she told Sky News. Asked about the political impact of dumping the climate target, Ms Ley said she would not foreshadow the review's outcome. Many Liberal moderates want the net-zero target retained so the party is seen to be taking climate action seriously. But Mr Joyce said there was no reason why abandoning the targets should be off the table. "This is not about leadership. This is not about trying to create some sort of discordant note," he told reporters ahead of the bill's introduction. "There's not anything in this bill that the coalition didn't have the same position we voted for." Mr Joyce has the backing of his former leadership rival Michael McCormack. The two ex-deputy prime ministers are critical of Nationals leader David Littleproud's handling of the aftermath of the election defeat. The coalition reunited at the end of May following a messy week-long split driven by divisions which included energy policy. Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean, a former deputy leader of the NSW Liberal Party, said "political stunts are no substitutes for real policies". "The voters overwhelmingly gave their verdict on Labor's climate policies, compared with the coalition's, and if Labor's massive majority doesn't send out mandate signals, well you're probably not paying attention," he said. Mr Littleproud's leadership was contested after the election over the party's adoption of the climate target. Liberal MP Garth Hamilton has also backed Nationals MPs trying to jettison the climate target. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson launched her own bid to scrap net zero in the upper house on Monday. But the coalition largely stood united against the issue, with only Nationals senator Matt Canavan and firebrand Liberal Alex Antic voting with the minor party on the motion. Senator Canavan had said One Nation was "catching up" to his colleagues in the Nationals party, specifically Mr Joyce. "I give him credit for doing this: he's put it on the agenda, he's dominating the media discussions," he told the Senate. "We are here to make laws, not just statements, so we've got to repeal this rubbish." Only five out of the coalition's 27 senators showed up for the motion, but one was in the chair and exercised his right not to vote, while Liberal senators Jane Hume and Andrew McLachlan voted against it. A key climate target might be dumped by the coalition as an increasing number of Liberals cast doubt over the future of the opposition's commitment to net zero. Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce on Monday launched a bid to repeal the net-zero emissions by 2050 reduction target. But his private member's bill is guaranteed to fail, because it lacks the support of the government which has a majority in the House of Representatives. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley maintains the coalition will wait until after a review of its disastrous May election loss before making formal policy decisions. Despite a growing number of Liberal politicians speaking out against stronger climate change action, she doubled down on waiting for the review. "We're going to bring all of those views together ... to flesh out the different perspectives, the expert advice and, of course, focus on this government's miserable failure when it comes to energy policy," she told Sky News. Asked about the political impact of dumping the climate target, Ms Ley said she would not foreshadow the review's outcome. Many Liberal moderates want the net-zero target retained so the party is seen to be taking climate action seriously. But Mr Joyce said there was no reason why abandoning the targets should be off the table. "This is not about leadership. This is not about trying to create some sort of discordant note," he told reporters ahead of the bill's introduction. "There's not anything in this bill that the coalition didn't have the same position we voted for." Mr Joyce has the backing of his former leadership rival Michael McCormack. The two ex-deputy prime ministers are critical of Nationals leader David Littleproud's handling of the aftermath of the election defeat. The coalition reunited at the end of May following a messy week-long split driven by divisions which included energy policy. Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean, a former deputy leader of the NSW Liberal Party, said "political stunts are no substitutes for real policies". "The voters overwhelmingly gave their verdict on Labor's climate policies, compared with the coalition's, and if Labor's massive majority doesn't send out mandate signals, well you're probably not paying attention," he said. Mr Littleproud's leadership was contested after the election over the party's adoption of the climate target. Liberal MP Garth Hamilton has also backed Nationals MPs trying to jettison the climate target. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson launched her own bid to scrap net zero in the upper house on Monday. But the coalition largely stood united against the issue, with only Nationals senator Matt Canavan and firebrand Liberal Alex Antic voting with the minor party on the motion. Senator Canavan had said One Nation was "catching up" to his colleagues in the Nationals party, specifically Mr Joyce. "I give him credit for doing this: he's put it on the agenda, he's dominating the media discussions," he told the Senate. "We are here to make laws, not just statements, so we've got to repeal this rubbish." Only five out of the coalition's 27 senators showed up for the motion, but one was in the chair and exercised his right not to vote, while Liberal senators Jane Hume and Andrew McLachlan voted against it. A key climate target might be dumped by the coalition as an increasing number of Liberals cast doubt over the future of the opposition's commitment to net zero. Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce on Monday launched a bid to repeal the net-zero emissions by 2050 reduction target. But his private member's bill is guaranteed to fail, because it lacks the support of the government which has a majority in the House of Representatives. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley maintains the coalition will wait until after a review of its disastrous May election loss before making formal policy decisions. Despite a growing number of Liberal politicians speaking out against stronger climate change action, she doubled down on waiting for the review. "We're going to bring all of those views together ... to flesh out the different perspectives, the expert advice and, of course, focus on this government's miserable failure when it comes to energy policy," she told Sky News. Asked about the political impact of dumping the climate target, Ms Ley said she would not foreshadow the review's outcome. Many Liberal moderates want the net-zero target retained so the party is seen to be taking climate action seriously. But Mr Joyce said there was no reason why abandoning the targets should be off the table. "This is not about leadership. This is not about trying to create some sort of discordant note," he told reporters ahead of the bill's introduction. "There's not anything in this bill that the coalition didn't have the same position we voted for." Mr Joyce has the backing of his former leadership rival Michael McCormack. The two ex-deputy prime ministers are critical of Nationals leader David Littleproud's handling of the aftermath of the election defeat. The coalition reunited at the end of May following a messy week-long split driven by divisions which included energy policy. Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean, a former deputy leader of the NSW Liberal Party, said "political stunts are no substitutes for real policies". "The voters overwhelmingly gave their verdict on Labor's climate policies, compared with the coalition's, and if Labor's massive majority doesn't send out mandate signals, well you're probably not paying attention," he said. Mr Littleproud's leadership was contested after the election over the party's adoption of the climate target. Liberal MP Garth Hamilton has also backed Nationals MPs trying to jettison the climate target. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson launched her own bid to scrap net zero in the upper house on Monday. But the coalition largely stood united against the issue, with only Nationals senator Matt Canavan and firebrand Liberal Alex Antic voting with the minor party on the motion. Senator Canavan had said One Nation was "catching up" to his colleagues in the Nationals party, specifically Mr Joyce. "I give him credit for doing this: he's put it on the agenda, he's dominating the media discussions," he told the Senate. "We are here to make laws, not just statements, so we've got to repeal this rubbish." Only five out of the coalition's 27 senators showed up for the motion, but one was in the chair and exercised his right not to vote, while Liberal senators Jane Hume and Andrew McLachlan voted against it.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Hanson tests Coalition resolve on net zero
'We are the Reform of [Australia] because everything that Nigel Farage stands for, I've been talking about for years, for nearly 30 years.' Hanson's anti-immigration party, which has courted controversy for decades for its stances on minority groups, added two senators at the May election, doubling its number of seats. Joyce's campaign has gained support from backbenchers Garth Hamilton, Tony Pasin, Alex Antic, a slew of Nationals, and the expanded right-wing Senate bloc of One Nation and United Australia Party's Ralph Babet. Frontbencher Andrew Hastie has also been fighting internally to overturn the net zero pledge, with the policy currently under review within the Coalition. Liberals have also spoken out about Indigenous welcome ceremonies after Ley indicated support for the practice. And in another sign of internal angst, former frontbencher Sarah Henderson argued in last week's private party room meeting that the Coalition should adopt as formal policy a push by Antic to enshrine in law the existence of only two genders. Henderson declined to comment. Taken together, the thrusts underline the depth of feeling among right-wing Coalition MPs as Ley aims to correct course from the perceived failings of the Dutton era. Institute of Public Affairs deputy head Daniel Wild said in Australia, as in the UK, there was a growing gap between the wishes of right-wing voters and the offerings of centre-right parties on cultural issues, immigration and green energy. 'What you're now seeing is a new bloc, whether it's people from One Nation or Barnaby Joyce, and others, giving voice to those concerns in a way that they haven't before,' Wild said. 'I don't think Liberals are going to die out, but I think the risk of irrelevancy is increasing.' Hume, one of only two Liberals to vote against Hanson's motion, pushed back against the One Nation leader, saying voters 'made it clear at the ballot box that they expect serious, credible action on climate change'. 'How can we keep the seats we have and win back the seats we've lost, without hearing that message?' she said. The UN's chief climate diplomat has urged Australia to continue its push towards net zero, warning that failure to stabilise the climate would cut living standards $7000 per person per year by 2050. 'Climate disasters are already costing Australian home owners $4 billion a year – and that figure is only going one way,' said Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Outspoken conservative backbencher Hamilton warned of the risks of a Labor-lite agenda. 'We need to be wary of what's happened to our sister party in the UK,' he said, cautioning that Australia's preferential and compulsory system provided some protection from a third-party takeover. Loading Hamilton said public debate on the Coalition's direction should not be silenced, arguing Dutton did not lose because Australians rejected conservative values, but rather because of the Coalition's deficient policy agenda. Hanson said she was open to picking off Coalition MPs who felt uncomfortable with Ley's more centrist approach that has seen her spruik the case for quotas for preselecting women, dump the idea of building nuclear plants, and install Paul Scarr – who on Monday highlighted the positives of migration – into the immigration portfolio. The Nationals and Liberal Party briefly split after the election. During that period, Liberal MPs discussed privately the prospect of creating a new city-based party to espouse small-l liberal values unencumbered by conservative regional MPs. Scott Morrison canvassed the idea among his close colleagues after the 2022 election, according to several sources involved in those talks who did not want to be identified. Political historian Paul Strangio, an emeritus professor at Monash University, said Ley's message of modernising the party risked her being received 'as a kind of apostate'. 'Diagnosing what needs to be done doesn't mean Ley can magic away a quarter of a century of a conservative populist creep by the Liberals dating back to the Howard era that in essence has involved the party fighting a rearguard action against the evolving direction of Australian society,' he said. 'The resistance she will inevitably encounter is already evident in the incipient revolt within the Coalition against a net zero carbon emissions target. 'A major question looms over whether Ley has the requisite network of allies, intellectual and rhetorical force, strategic nous and fortitude to perform the diabolically difficult task of reversing 25 years of rightwards Liberal drift.'
