Tony Abbott Calls for Liberal Party to Offer 'Better Product' as One Nation Surges
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, newly appointed Liberal Party president, said the party must improve its offerings to voters after a difficult year in opposition and rising support for One Nation. Abbott attributed the Coalition's electoral struggles to a lack of conviction and political competence, and cited the Bondi Beach terror attack as a catalyst for his return to party leadership. He argued that mainstream conservative parties globally face challenges from right-wing insurgencies and that Australians will vote elsewhere if consistently let down.
Speaking at the Washington launch of his book in June 2026, Tony Abbott addressed the Liberal Party's declining support and One Nation's surge in opinion polls. Abbott used a car market analogy to explain voter behavior, suggesting that if traditional parties consistently disappoint, voters will seek alternatives. He acknowledged that his own government (2013-2015) and subsequent Coalition administrations under Turnbull and Morrison had disappointed their base, leading to the party's current predicament. Abbott framed the rise of One Nation, Reform UK, and similar parties as part of a broader pattern of right-wing political insurgencies across the Anglosphere. He emphasized that under new Liberal leader Angus Taylor, the party has made progress but faces a long road ahead in the polls. Abbott also discussed migration and assimilation, referencing the Bondi Beach shooting and arguing that migrants must commit to becoming Australian rather than simply using Australia's facilities.
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- Sydney Morning HeraldCenter
Liberal Party needs to give Australians a ‘better product’: Abbott
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