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Shadow Minister Alex Hawke defended internal Liberal Party debates Wednesday as necessary but acknowledged the party is working through a “bruising process” following its 2024 election loss, as leaks to media have exposed divisions over policy direction and leadership approach.
Speaking on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, Hawke characterized recent leaking from party members as unfortunate but relatively normal in political parties undergoing renewal, while emphasizing that leader Sussan Ley has deliberately created space for more open internal discussions than her predecessor permitted.
“She has a different culture and a different approach to the previous leader and that is you can speak your mind in the party room. Now I welcome it and people are speaking their mind. Now that comes at a cost. Sometimes it looks a bit more messy,” Hawke said.
The comments follow a period of internal tension within the Coalition as it conducts comprehensive policy reviews across multiple areas including energy, with working groups tasked with developing positions ahead of the next election. Some party members have publicly criticized the pace and direction of these reviews, with leaks to media highlighting disagreements about strategic positioning.
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Hawke insisted the vast majority of Liberal MPs support Ley’s leadership while acknowledging that policy debates create visible tension.
“Overwhelmingly, yes. And some people are pulling on policy areas, and that’s fine. Policy debates will be welcomed inside the party room,” he said.
Asked whether colleagues who lose internal policy debates should be expected to argue for positions they don’t support, Hawke emphasized team unity while suggesting some room for dissent remains. “In any team, you have to submit yourself to the will of the team and their opinion. And that comes in anything, whether it’s sport or whether it’s in a cabinet or whether it’s in a shadow cabinet or whether it’s in a party room. And, yeah, there’s many times your view doesn’t prevail. And how you handle that is the mark of your character and your ability to work in a team environment,” he said.
The party’s energy policy working group, which Hawke is involved with, met Wednesday to continue discussions about gas reservation and other energy issues. The group is reviewing the Coalition’s previous election commitment to domestic gas reservation, which Hawke acknowledged was criticized by industry as too interventionist but which the party believes addresses a fundamental competitiveness issue.
Hawke suggested that the previous term’s emphasis on unity may have prevented necessary internal debates. “One of the criticisms of the previous term was that we didn’t actually have the real discussions with each other. We did prioritize unity, but now we have to prioritize being honest with each other, so we’ll have those conversations,” he said.
The Liberal MP rejected suggestions that the party has misdiagnosed the reasons for its election loss, though he acknowledged different interpretations exist within the Coalition.
“Sometimes I think the reasons why we lost people might make an incorrect interpretation about why we lost,” he said, identifying the lack of clear policy offerings across all policy areas as the fundamental problem.
Regarding the timeline for resolving policy debates, Hawke noted tension between those wanting rapid resolution to present a unified front and those believing the party has time given the government’s large majority. “I think the Australian people only voted us into this position just a short time ago. They always give their governments, especially with an overwhelming majority, their support for a period of time,” he said.
The shadow minister emphasized that Liberal Party divisions are reconcilable due to the party’s historical ability to fuse progressive and conservative traditions.
“We’ve always had different traditions in our party, progressive and conservative traditions. They’ve been fused together over 100 years from the early days of free trade and protectionism. We’ve been able to work these things out,” he said.
On immigration policy discussions that generated controversy earlier this year, Hawke indicated the issue has subsided following Ley’s strong stance. “I think Sussan Ley’s strong stance on what happened was important. People have accepted that’s not a Liberal Party view,” he said, noting that feedback from his diverse electorate has moved on from those concerns.
However, Hawke acknowledged broader public interest in immigration policy exists, while emphasizing Australia’s migration system differs fundamentally from mass migration experienced in Europe.
“There’s been one of the biggest mass migrations of people from the Middle East to Europe in world history. That is different to us inviting people to come here,” he said, defending Australia’s skills-based immigration approach and integration success.
The internal party dynamics come as the Coalition attempts to position itself as an alternative government while the Albanese government maintains substantial polling leads and has yet to make major controversial decisions that might shift public opinion. Hawke suggested the government’s cautious approach with its parliamentary majority means the Coalition has time to develop comprehensive policy positions.
Ley’s leadership style marks a departure from the tight message control characteristic of recent Liberal leaders, with Hawke suggesting this openness may create perception challenges but ultimately strengthens policy development. “Sometimes people are looking at how bad we are and making incorrect assumptions,” he said without elaborating on what those assumptions might be.
The party’s various working groups are expected to continue through the parliamentary term, with major policy announcements likely timed for maximum political impact as the next election approaches. Hawke indicated energy policy would remain a priority given its centrality to manufacturing competitiveness and household cost pressures.
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