Abbott Urges CPAC to Back a ‘Reformed’ Liberal Party
At the Conservative Political Action Conference in Brisbane, former prime minister Tony Abbott stood before a restless crowd and delivered both an apology and a plea. He admitted the Liberal Party had fallen short, particularly after the 2025 election defeat, and he asked conservatives to give the party “one last chance.” His speech carried a tone of humility but also urgency, as he emphasized that without reform, the Liberals risked losing more ground to minor right-wing parties like One Nation and independents.
Abbott told the audience that the Coalition had made mistakes—not just in policy, but in how it had presented itself to voters. He acknowledged that during his own time as leader, promises of stronger government had not always been fulfilled. He called the recent election result, which left the Coalition with its lowest primary vote in history, a painful lesson. Yet, despite these setbacks, he insisted that the Liberal Party remained Australia’s best hope for stable, centre-right governance.
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A recurring theme of his address was the need to break free from what he described as “factional warlords.” These internal divisions, he argued, had weakened the party and made it harder to present a united front. Instead of splintering further into smaller movements, Abbott urged conservatives to focus on reshaping the Liberal Party itself. He pointed to Nigel Farage’s Reform Party in the UK as an example of what could emerge if voters lost patience, but he insisted Australia did not need a new conservative party—it needed a reformed one.
His speech was met with both cheers and interruptions. Supporters of Pauline Hanson and One Nation voiced their approval for alternative options, highlighting the growing competition the Liberals face on their right flank. Other prominent figures at CPAC, including Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Warren Mundine, echoed Abbott’s call for unity but added their own priorities. Price, for example, called on the party to abandon its net zero climate target, describing it as harmful to freedom and prosperity. Her comments drew loud approval from attendees, showing just how divisive climate policy remains inside the conservative movement.
Abbott also paid tribute to former colleagues like Peter Dutton, crediting him for advancing debates on nuclear energy and opposing Labor’s climate agenda. Yet, he acknowledged that the party had failed to campaign effectively on these issues during the election. Instead, the Coalition had fought on promises of spending, which he said was a contest it could never win against Labor.
The atmosphere at CPAC reflected a wider challenge: conservatives remain deeply divided, but they also recognize the danger of fragmentation. Mundine, the conference chair, urged attendees to “bring all the conservative groups together” if they hoped to win future elections. Abbott’s final words captured that same sentiment: he asked Australians to give the Liberals one more chance to prove themselves, promising that the party could still rebuild into something stronger, smarter, and more united than before.
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