Julie Bishop blasts ‘headline grabbing politicians’ and refuses to rule out taking the top job

Julie Bishop has refused to rule out a future leadership tilt after giving a speech where she blasted headline-grabbing politicians and said the Australian people were over populist policies.

• Julie Bishop reveals difficulties women face as parliamentarians
• Liberal MP Julia Banks calls out bullying
• Liberal MP Julia Banks quits government to sit on crossbench

Julie Bishop has refused to rule out a future leadership tilt after giving a speech where she blasted headline-grabbing politicians and said the Australian people were over populist policies.

Speaking at the EY Oceania conference in Sydney yesterday, Ms Bishop also said she was “sad” her colleague and Victorian MP Julia Banks had quit the Liberal party, while praising her as a “strong, sensible centrist’’.

“I’m saddened that Julia Banks had reached a point where she felt she could no longer continue in the Liberal Party. She will be missed. She was a strong, sensible centrist female politician,” the former deputy leader of the Liberal Party said.

“But I’m sure knowing her as well as I do, she would have thought long and hard about how she could best serve the interests of her electorate. This does highlight the fact the Liberal party needs and should have more female representatives.”

Former foreign minister Julie Bishop at Circular Quay on Tuesday after a speaking engagement at Cockatoo Island. Picture: David Swift

It comes as tensions between moderates and the right in the Liberal party reach new heights following Ms Banks’ shock resignation yesterday.

Ms Bishop also criticised the constant changing of leaders, pointing out there had been six prime ministers in 10 years while highlighting a recent study which stated just seven per cent of Australians had high trust in their government.

“Politicians have to honour their commitments. People are over populist policies and promises that can’t be kept,” she said. “(Politicians need to tell Australians) the truth as opposed to what they think you want to hear.”

The Independents, Cathy McGowan, Rebekha Sharkie, Kerryn Phelps and Andrew Wilkie welcome new crossbencher Julia Banks. Picture: Gary Ramage

When asked by The Daily Telegraph whether she would rule out becoming leader in the future, Ms Bishop said: “I’m on the back bench; I’m preselected to run as the member for Curtin at the next election.”

Ms Bishop has also called for Scott Morrison to work with the Labor Party on a National Energy Guarantee, arguing the business community was “demanding certainty” and would like to see a bipartisan position.

“I would like to see a bipartisan position so that we can ensure that generators have the confidence to make the long-term investments that they need to make.”

Julie Bishop speaking at an Ernst and Young event on Cockatoo Island. Picture: David Swift

She said she was “disturbed” that for a number of reasons “a civil national conversation was proving difficult” and that there was little deep analysis of issues.

The former Foreign Minister also said she had been thinking about the hour-long radio speeches Robert Menzies had given during his time as Opposition leader and how it was impossible to imagine politicians doing the same today. She said politicians needed to be wary of short term fixes that were not evidence-based but just a bid to win votes.

Her attack on populism is likely to be viewed as a criticism of Scott Morrison who has been compared to Donald Trump.