Tory Shepherd: Cory Bernardi move to quit Liberals further erodes Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership

ANALYSIS: South Australian Senator Cory Bernardi is set to fulfil his promise of a “massive” 2017. Starting Tuesday, when he quits the Liberal Party.

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SOUTH Australian Senator Cory Bernardi is set to fulfil his promise of a “massive” 2017.

Starting Tuesday.

He will quit the Liberal Party, leaving Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to start the year off-kilter, just when he needs to be on-form.

Senator Bernardi has been on the backbench for several years now — but even up the back, he never lacked front.

Senator Cory Bernardi is quitting the Liberal Party to start his own. Picture: Ray Strange

Where he was coy, for a long time, was about his future with the party. The idea of him leaving seemed a bit of a tease. It served to keep the Government on their toes, remind them of a more

conservative core.

That tease more recently became a fully fledged flirtation. And today Senator Bernardi will announce his new loyalty — the Australian Conservatives.

Much of the infrastructure is in place — websites, a loyal following cultivated through Senator Bernardi’s website, a manifesto.

Mr Turnbull might be vaguely relieved that the split has finally come to pass — no more rumblings. And at least others — including former frontbencher Eric Abetz and right-wing flag-bearer George Christensen — didn’t immediately jump ship.

But that’s just a bit of ointment on the wound.

Senator Bernardi is making it clear that there is another way, a way that might hold more appeal for wavering colleagues than One Nation. His conservative colleague, Andrew Hastie, once called him the “Dark Knight”, of Batman fame. Bernardi is casting a sign onto the clouds for all to see.

Mr Turnbull’s authority, becoming more fragile with every Newspoll that shows Labor’s ascendancy, will be further eroded.

He will have to play nice with Senator Bernardi for his Senate vote, but avoid making his new party seem a viable alternative. He will need to work out whether to be pulled to the right just to shore up votes, or whether he can find a way to be a principled and strong leader — something he has struggled to do so far.

Senator Bernardi’s massive year will also be Mr Turnbull’s massive burden.