Wednesday 14 October 2026
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Australia

Outgoing Liberal senator warns party against copying One Nation

Jonno Duniam's valedictory speech urges Coalition to hold its ground and rule out preference deals

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources3 outlets
Outgoing Coalition frontbencher Jonno Duniam has used his final speech to parliament to warn the Liberal Party against mimicking One Nation, urging colleagues to return to their roots and stay the course as the party struggles in the polls after two successive election defeats.

The Tasmanian senator said no one could deny the difficult position facing the Liberals, who have sunk in the polls after losing dozens of seats across two successive elections, but expressed confidence they would form government again.

"This challenge is not insurmountable. We have a history and we should be proud of it," Duniam told the Senate on Wednesday afternoon. "My party can give Australians what they need. Not by pretending to be someone else or seeking to appease certain actors, but by returning to our roots, by backing [our values] in with conviction … and explaining why it is better than the alternative."

Coalition MPs have diverged over how to approach One Nation's rising popularity. Some have urged the party to take up the fight, in particular MP Andrew Hastie, described by Duniam as his Canberra family. Others have talked up preference deals or forming government with Pauline Hanson's party.

Duniam said the Liberals needed to put forward their plan and make the case to voters. "We should never wave the white flag," he said.

"My party has been around for decades. It isn't populist. It isn't flash in the pan. It is here to stay. And sure, we may have spent some time in the wilderness, but we have our bearings now and I know we will be able to get back over there into government."

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The speech highlights an internal Liberal battle over strategy toward One Nation as the party tries to rebuild after heavy electoral losses.
  • How the party resolves this debate will shape its appeal to conservative voters and its prospects at the next federal election.
  • The outcome also affects the broader political balance, including whether One Nation gains influence through preferences or governing agreements.

Background

The Liberal Party, Australia's main centre-right party, is in opposition after successive defeats that cost it dozens of seats. One Nation, a populist right-wing party led by Pauline Hanson, competes for some of the same voters. Duniam's valedictory speech lands as Liberal MPs openly debate whether to distance themselves from One Nation, fight it directly, or cooperate with it through preference arrangements.

Key Perspectives

Jonno Duniam and allies: The Liberals should return to their conservative roots, present their own plan, and win on merit rather than imitating populist rivals. MPs open to cooperation: Some Coalition figures see preference deals or governing arrangements with One Nation as a pragmatic path back to power. Critics and skeptics: With the party sunk in the polls after losing dozens of seats, staying the course may not be enough to reverse its fortunes, and the internal split could deepen.

What to Watch

  • Whether Liberal leaders rule out preference deals with One Nation or leave the door open.
  • Public positioning by figures such as Andrew Hastie, who wants the party to take up the fight.
  • Poll movements as the party tests whether a return to its roots, or a shift toward One Nation's platform, strengthens its standing.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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