‘Reluctant and relieved’, SA Senator Cory Bernardi confirms he’s leaving

UPDATE: Cory Bernardi has officially confirmed his departure from the Liberal Party, in a statement to the Senate.

• HAVOC for PM as Bernardi defects
• ANALYSIS: Bernardi’s move further erodes Turnbull’s leadership
• EXPERT: Bernardi defection ‘will cost him his career’
• IN-DEPTH: Is he the most conservative man in SA?

ROGUE senator Cory Bernardi has officially confirmed his departure from the Liberal Party, in a statement to the Senate.

Senator Bernardi told the Senate the values and principles he joined the Liberal Party for had given way to “expedient, self-serving, short term ends” (see below for full statement).

He said the political class was out of touch with the Australian people.

“The body politic is failing the people of Australia,” he said.

“The level of public disenchantment with the major parties, the lack of confidence in our political process and the concern about the direction of our nation is very, very strong.”

Senator Bernardi said it had been a very difficult decision for him.

“After a membership spanning my entire adult life, having been a state president and federal vice president of the party, this has been a very difficult decision for me. Perhaps the most difficult one of my political life.”

But he was both “reluctant and relieved” to announce his departure today.

Senator Bernardi will now represent his own party, the Australian Conservatives, in a move which will boost the crossbench numbers to 12.

This morning, he rang PM Malcolm Turnbull to confirm he was defecting, as a slew of Coalition MPs warned the maverick Senator there would be retribution if he chose to split from the Liberal Party.

The Advertiser understands Mr Turnbull said the “honourable” course of action was for Senator Bernardi to resign from the Senate because he was elected as a Liberal.

Mr Turnbull was tight-lipped about the future of the renegade Liberal senator as he arrived with wife Lucy for an ecumenical service near Parliament House earlier in the morning.

Senior Defence Industries Minister Christopher Pyne, one of the most senior South Australians in federal Parliament, also called on Senator Bernardi to resign.

Mr Pyne hit out at his fellow South Australian Liberal, tweeting that “those most hurt by Cory Bernardi are the hundreds of thousands of SA voters who voted Liberal in the Senate only to be let down by him”.

“Cory Bernardi was elected as a Liberal. The honourable course is for him to resign his seat and for him to recontest it as an independent,” Mr Pyne tweeted.

“The Liberal Party’s values are not limited to conservatism. We are Liberals because we are open to new ideas; tolerant of difference ... modern and forward looking; we believe in reward for effort and sharing Australia’s good fortune with those in need.”

Fronting the media after making his statement in Parliament, Senator Bernardi refused to detail the specific policies where he disagreed with the Turnbull Government.

He did, however, refer to changes made to the pension which “upset a great many people” because it affected their plans for retirement.

He also said there must be “principle” applied to Budget repair.

Senator Bernardi revealed he had discussed forming his own party with Liberal Democrat Senator David Leyonhjelm — who last year gave a speech in Parliament likening the South Australian Government to an obese 40-year-old man with awful body odour who lives with his mother.

“I confided in some people. David Leyonhjelm was one who respected the trust,” Senator Bernardi said.

The Advertiser understands that SA’s electricity crisis was one of the issues that led to Senator Bernardi’s decision to quit.

Senator Bernardi’s resignation, revealed in The Advertiser by political commentator Andrew Bolt, has further compounded Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s political woes as he begins the parliamentary year trailing badly in the polls.

Senator Bernardi was re-elected to the Senate last year for a six-year term.

Liberal Party sources confirmed Bernardi informed the PM of his decision despite MPs making an 11th hour appeal to the Senator to stay.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott said that he “deeply” regretted Senator Bernadi’s decision to leave the Liberal Party in a statement posted on Facebook.

“Cory Bernardi has made an important contribution to our public life and I deeply regret his decision to leave the Liberal Party,” he said.

“While Cory and I have sometimes disagreed, I’m disappointed that more effort has not been made to keep our party united.

“The Liberal Party needs more people, like Cory, who believe that freer citizens will make a fairer society and a stronger country and who are prepared to speak out and make a difference.

“No government entirely satisfies all of its supporters. This is not an argument to leave; it’s a reason to stay in and fight more effectively for the things we believe in.

“I appeal to everyone who wants smaller, stronger government and who wants a freer, fairer country to continue to support the Liberals because that is the only way to improve our party, our government and our country.”

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said it would be a betrayal of his voters, while Financial Services Minister Kelly O’Dwyer the public had no tolerance for parliamentarians “who are engaged in ego trips”.

Cory Bernardi is set to defect from the Liberals to form his own conservative party. Picture: Ray Strange

“I think that people would feel that their trust has been violated if somebody stood for a particular political party and then left that political party, particularly so soon after an election campaign,” Ms O’Dwyer told ABC this morning.

“I feel that most people would understand [that if] you had strong views and didn’t want to represent a political party, maybe you should represent that prior to the election campaign,” she said.

“I think anybody who is elected as a Liberal owes a responsibility, not only to the people who preselected them, but also to the people who voted for them, who placed their trust in them to be a member of that particular political party.

“I think that the Australian people have got no tolerance for parliamentarians who are engaged in ego trips.”

The Immigration Minister said people who voted for Cory Bernardi under the Liberal banner would be angry and disappointed if he left.

“Let’s wait to see what Senator Bernardi has to say but it is a betrayal when somebody leaves a political party,” Mr Dutton told ABC.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said he was “disappointed” by Senator Bernardi’s decision to split from the party.

“Cory and I have been friends and colleagues for more than 10 years, my preference obviously would be for Cory to remain,” Senator Cormann told ABC.

“Hopefully he will change his mind in the near future.”

Outspoken Liberal Nationals MP George Christensen was one of the few to defend Senator Bernardi.

It was believed if Senator Bernardi spilt Mr Christensen may have joined him. However, the Queensland MP poured water on the suggestion yesterday.

Mr Christensen warned his Coalition colleagues not to be too harsh in their criticism of Bernardi.

“If indeed he’s leaving this is someone we’re going to have to negotiate with,” the Queensland MP told ABC.

Clive Palmer also tweeted his support for Senator Bernardi in a rather odd matter.

“Cory makes me laugh. Cory makes me laugh. Cory Makes me sigh. Cory makes me sad,” he posted shortly after 9am.

It is understood Senator Bernardi’s new party will focus on resisting a push towards expensive renewable energy options and take a tougher stance on immigration — especially from predominantly Muslim nations.

Energy is set to be one of the hot topics of the year in the wake of SA’s statewide blackout last year and ongoing and fierce debate about the role of coal and renewables.

WHAT CORY BERNARDI TOLD THE SENATE

Mr President, I rise to inform the Senate that this morning I have resigned as a member of the Liberal Party.

I consider it my duty to inform the Senate of this decision prior to making any public comment.

After a membership spanning my entire adult life, having been a State President and a Federal Vice President, this has been a very difficult decision for me — perhaps the most difficult of my life.

I stand here today both reluctant and relieved; reluctant because this decision has weighed heavy on my heart but relieved because, whilst difficult, it is the right thing to do.

When, as a younger man I first joined the ‘ship of state’ I was in awe of its traditions and the great captains that had guided us on our way. But now, as the seas through which we sail have become more challenging, the respect for the values and principles that have served us well have been set aside for expedient, self-serving, short term ends. This approach has not served our nation well.

There are few, if any, who can claim that respect for politics and politicians is stronger now than it was a decade ago.

In short, the body politic is failing the people of Australia and it’s clear we need to find a better way.

The level of public disenchantment with the major parties, lack of confidence in our political process and concern about the direction of our nation is very strong. This is a direct product of the political class being out of touch with the hopes and aspirations of the Australian people.

Politics at its best has always been the shared contribution of men and women of conscience who bring their skills to bear for the nation. It is not in the interests of our nation to yield to the temptation of personality politics which shrink the debate to the opinion of the few whilst compromising the good sense and values of the many.

For many years I have warned of the consequences of ignoring the clear signs. I have spoken of the need to restore faith in our political system and to put principle back into politics. I regret that too often these warnings have been lost on those who needed to hear them most.

It really is time for a better way; a conservative way.

The enduring beauty of the conservative tradition is that it looks to the past, to all that is great and good, to inform the future. It is a rich paradox where the established equips us for the new.

And so today I begin something new, built on enduring values and principles that have served our nation so well for many decades.

It is a political movement of Australian Conservatives … a community of individual Australians who will share their unique gifts and talents to chart a better way.

We will be united by a desire to create stronger families, foster free enterprise, limit the size and scope and reach of government whilst seeking to rebuild civil society.

We will give hope to those who despair at the current state of Australian politics and who demand a better way for themselves, their children and their country.

The journey ahead will not be for the faint of heart but worthwhile ventures rarely are.

And every journey begins with a first step.

Today I take that step, knowing the direction in which I will head and hoping that those truly concerned for the future of our nation will choose to join me.

Mr President, in light of this statement you may like to consider the Senate seating arrangements.

I thank the Senate.