Katina Curtis: Ley shifts away from culture wars but WA Liberals drag them back
The 70-odd members of the party's State council voted for motions — backed by Michaelia Cash and Andrew Hastie — calling to abandon the net zero emissions target, ditch Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags at official proceedings and cut back on welcomes to country.
Since taking on the leadership, Ley has in word and deed sought to shift her party away from culture wars and onto turf that could be better labelled constructive disagreement.
But she hasn't been helped by the Nationals, and she isn't being helped by party branches like those in WA, South Australia and Queensland.
The country was last week treated to the unedifying spectacle of two grown men, each of them once upon a time deputy prime minister, publicly declaring they were 'virile' and play-acting as bulls as they sought to shred the Coalition's position on climate action. Again.
After the election that delivered a majority vote to progressives — Labor, Greens and teal independents — the Liberal Party membership and their Nationals cousins aren't just sticking the finger up at the leader, they're also telling the electorate where it should go.
Yes, the WA branch of the party is traditionally conservative and yes, the motions aren't binding on any elected representatives, although they do point out how the people who preselect them feel on such issues.
But it does show the party base is out of step with ordinary voters.
That should be a concern to Liberals who want to win seats back.
The Liberals haven't picked up a new WA Federal seat since 2013. Over the past two elections, they've gone from six senators to four.
Basil Zempilas, who didn't vote on the motions on Saturday due to a pressing other engagement, is alive to this, saying on Monday that flags, welcomes and net zero aren't top of mind for voters.
'The WA parliamentary Liberal Party … are very comfortable with standing in front of the Aboriginal flag. We are very comfortable with the welcome to country, and we support the status quo on the net zero targets,' he said.
'I'll just note that the former leader of the Federal Liberal Party put some of these issues on the agenda pre the federal election, and we know the results of that Federal election.'
Ley isn't overly concerned, saying she knows individuals in her party room have passionate views on these things.
She also will be acutely aware there's no love lost between her and WA's Federal Liberals, only two of whom backed her in the leadership ballot and some of whom are quietly questioning her tactical nous.
These are the fights for the soul of the party the Liberals should have had three years ago, but didn't under Peter Dutton's steely 'unity.'
Airing such divisions now gives them time to focus on how to win seats closer to an election — as long as they haven't hurt their leader too much along the way.
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