Julia Banks delivers scathing review of major parties after resigning from the Liberal Party

In a speech that has rocked parliament, an MP has delivered a stunning rebuke to the government with her sudden resignation.

In a scathing statement, Julia Banks has explained her “treacherous” resignation from the Liberal Party, which has left Scott Morrison’s government in turmoil.

While Mr Morrison was holding a press conference in the Prime Minister’s courtyard, Ms Banks dropped her bombshell resignation from the Liberal Party in the House of Representatives.

The federal member for Chisholm will now sit as an independent, meaning the government will need to gain support from the crossbench in order to get any legislation passed.

She will guarantee confidence and supply, so there is no risk of the government falling, but it makes Mr Morrison’s job even harder.

It also raises the possibility of Ms Banks recontesting her seat as an independent next year. She had previously indicated she would quit at the election.

Commentator and The Australian associate editor Chris Kenny has already described the move as “treachery” and said it will fuel anger and recriminations among others.

“Banks is the latest to choose settling scores ahead of good governance,” he wrote.

He said her resignation would play into the narrative of Liberal disunity and dysfunction and may even dominate the Prime Minister’s announcement of an April 2 budget, all but locking in an early May election.

“This is the trouble with the Coalition at the moment — too many MPs with too many grievances and too little loyalty who are too willing to push their own personal agendas and too loathe to get on with representing the people who elected them. It is a shambles.”

But not everyone agreed with this assessment and many on social media got behind her move, including author Nikki Gemmell who said she would “go down in history for calling out truth to power”.

“Their actions were undeniably for themselves. For their position in the party. Their power. Their personal ambition. Not for the Australian people who we represent.” Julia Banks nails it in her resignation letter to Libs. #auspol

— Felicity Reynolds (@FlickReynolds) November 27, 2018

Wow. Go Julia Banks!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

She is speaking re her Liberal colleagues at the leadership turmoil. I reckon her words apply equally to a great number in the ALP when she talk of putting personal ambition ahead of the people.... https://t.co/wQwlhHzl3L

— Michelle Fahy (@FahyMichelle) November 27, 2018

The eloquent, audacious, courageous statement of disruption from Julia Banks goes to the nub of why voters are disaffected with our major parties. Haters will go for her - I wish her courage for the months ahead. She'll go down in history for calling out truth to power #auspol pic.twitter.com/Ke4TZZMFQe

— Nikki Gemmell (@NikkiGemmell) November 27, 2018

Ms Banks announced she would not be contesting the next election after accusing both major political parties of “bullying and intimidation” in the wake of the leadership spill in August.

In a statement that barely disguised the disgust she felt at the behaviour of both major parties, Ms Banks said had reflected on the coup that saw Malcolm Turnbull toppled from the prime ministership and which had been led by members of the “reactionary right wing”.

“The coup was aided by many MPs trading their vote for a leadership change in exchange for their individual promotion, preselection endorsements or silence,” she said.

“Their actions were undeniably for themselves. For their position in the Party. Their power. Their personal ambition. Not for the Australian people who we represent. Not for what people voted for in the 2016 election.”

Ms Banks said the aftermath of the leadership spill laid bare the major parties’ “obstructionist and combative actions”.

“All for political point scoring rather than for timely, practical sensible decisions on matters which Australians care about.”

The Victorian MP also took aim at the Liberals’ “women problem”, saying the level of regard and respect for women in politics across both major parties was years behind the business world.

“There is also a clear need for an independent and whistleblower system as found in many workplaces to enable reporting of misconduct of those in power without the fear of reprisal or retribution,” she said.

For those heading home on the bus or train who want the full Julia Banks experience but don't have sound, here's her full 4 minute speech with (rough) captions. #auspol pic.twitter.com/2P1Ks70LxP

— Jackson Gothe-Snape (@jacksongs) November 27, 2018

STATEMENT pic.twitter.com/gmAmbFyY7y

— Julia Banks MP (@juliabanksmp) November 27, 2018

Following the announcement of her intention to quit politics, Ms Banks said hundreds had contacted her and pleaded with her to stay in politics as an independent.

“The voice of the Australian people has been loud and clear,” she said.

“My sensible centrist values, belief in economic responsibility and focus on always putting the people first and acting in the nation’s interest have not changed. The Liberal Party has changed.”

While she will sit in parliament as in independent for now, Ms Banks did not confirm whether she would contest her seat again next year. She narrowly won the seat at the last election, which Labor had held for 18 years.

Ms Banks said she would make a decision about her future career path in the new year.

She ended her statement with a very pointed statement: “I am so proud to serve as a member of the House of Representatives with honour and respect because of the good people it represents. The people that the major parties have stopped listening to. The Australian people.”

Ms Banks’ move is a big headache for Prime Minister Scott Morrison as the Liberal Party lost its majority in the House when Malcolm Turnbull’s former electorate of Wentworth voted for independent Dr Kerryn Phelps instead of Liberal candidate Dave Sharma.

Dr Phelps’ win saw the government lose its one-seat majority of 76. Today’s move from Ms Banks means the Morrison Government controls 74 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives.

Mr Morrison dodged questions about Ms Banks’ resignation, which came as the Prime Minister was effectively announcing the timetable for the lead-up to the next election, expected in May.

He said the federal budget would be brought forward to April 2, which will allow for the election to be held within the legal window for a half-Senate and House of Representatives election which closes on May 18.

The prime minister also said the budget would be in surplus, which would be reflected in the mid-year review to be published on December 17.

“It is absolutely our intention to have the budget before the election and to deliver a surplus budget, a surplus budget that we promised to deliver,” he told reporters.

— With AAP