Scott Morrison’s MPs go to war over Victorian election result

A new factional war threatens to inflame Liberal divisions in the wake of the disastrous state election result. Senior Liberal MP Scott Ryan has warned the party is losing “its electoral base” who don’t want conservative views “rammed down their throat”.

Federal Liberal MPs from Victoria have openly criticised the party for toppling former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull as a new factional war threatens to inflame divisions.

Victorian MPs will today hold a crisis meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and some predict an “urban revolt” from voters against the party members who were behind the removal of Mr Turnbull.

The Herald Sun understands factional tensions could boil over, and a number of MPs are preparing to call for the resignation of party president Michael Kroger, who they blame for years of infighting, branch stacking and the rise of the conservative Right faction.

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government would be in trouble if the state result occurred federally.

Federal seats the Liberals would lose if the state results are replicated.

The party would lose at least six federal seats if Saturday night’s state results were replicated at next year’s federal election.

On the edge would be Corangamite, Chisholm, Deakin, La Trobe, Casey and Dunkley.

Senior ministers Health Minister Greg Hunt in Flinders, Urban Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge in Aston and Industrial Relations Minister Kelly O’Dwyer in Higgins would be in danger of losing their seats.

Figures show the federal government would face a crushing defeat, with the federal Coalition’s primary vote falling for the third poll in a row to a near-record low 34 per cent.

The latest Newspoll, conducted for The Australian, shows the Morrison Government trails Labor on a two-party-preferred split of 45-55 for the second-consecutive poll.

Health Minister Greg Hunt’s seat of Flinders could be in play at the next election. Picture Kym Smith

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Senior Liberal MPs this morning slammed the party for refusing to focus on mainstream issues and ramming conservative views down people’s throats, as they prepare to hold the crisis meeting.

Senior Liberal MP and Senate President, Scott Ryan, said although it was a state campaign it was clear federal factors played a role.

Senator Ryan said the party was losing “its electoral base” who didn’t want conservative views “rammed down their throat”.

“There are other lessons here and what struck me on Saturday were swings in previously safe Liberal seats,” Senator Ryan told ABC Radio National.

“Seats that are the cradle of the Liberal Party, the birthplace of the Liberal Party — across Kew, Brighton, Sandringham, we may have lost the seat of Box Hill, it looks like we will hold on to Hawthorn.

“These voters, who our electoral base, this is out real base of the Liberal Party, they sent us a message.

“They don’t want a litmus tests for what it means to be a Liberal.”

Senator Ryan said commentators should not dictate to the party about what its views should be on climate change and social issues because the party’s voters may have different views.

“A lot of Liberal voters are very conservative in their own lives … but they’re pretty liberal in their political outlook,” Senator Ryan said.

“They don’t want views rammed down their throat and they don’t want views rammed down other people’s throats.

“That is not the path to electoral success, and I’m sick of being lectured to by people who aren’t members of the party, by people who have never stood on polling booths, about what it means to be a real Liberal.

“Our voters sent us a message and that is some of the noise that comes out of this place (Canberra) and some of the noise that comes out of commentators about what it means to be a Liberal, well Liberal voters want us to focus on their issues.”

Industrial Relations Minister Kelly O’Dwyer holds the federal seat of Higgins.

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Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the party was “clearly out-campaigned” and “we will be listening” to Victorian MPs’ concerns.

“Firstly, this was a state election fought on state issues and that’s what Matthew Guy has said,” Mr Frydenberg said.

“The Liberal Party is at its best when it’s a broad church representing those who have small ‘l’ liberal views as well as those with conservative views.”

Federal Eduction Minister Dan Tehan urged colleagues not to overreact.

“We need to take a cold hard look at what went wrong; that means data and analysis, and not overreacting on emotion,” he told the Herald Sun.

Federal member for Goldstein Tim Wilson said “soft liberal voters” were concerned about the negativity of the campaign, as well as the “perceived absence of vision, the federal leadership change, emissions policy and many of the party’s priorities”.

“Their vote was not accidental, it was a very deliberate message,” Mr Wilson said.

Another Victoria-based federal MP said: “The urban revolt is now beginning.

“They’re saying they’re over being told what we have to put up with by people channelling One Nation.”

Mr Hunt, who was a part of the overthrow of Mr Turnbull, on Sunday refused to blame the Victorian defeat on leadership turmoil and said local issues determined the outcome.

As Saturday night results came in, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg messaged Victorian colleagues to organise a meeting in Canberra Monday morning.

“Colleagues as we know it’s a very difficult night for us and some of our good friends may lose their seats but let’s also not forget that there is a significant number of pre-polls and postals still to count,” Mr Frydenberg’s WhatsApp message read.

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