Coalition MPs warn of retribution after Bernardi confirms he’s splitting from the party

MALCOLM Turnbull was forced to address his MPs on Cory Bernardi’s defection as the senator was nowhere to be seen at Parliament House today.

Liberal senator Cory Bernardi has confirmed he will quit the Liberal Party today. Picture: Paul Miller/AAP NO ARCHIVING

CORY Bernardi did not attend the Liberal-National’s joint party room meeting before Parliament began today.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reportedly addressed the party room on Senator Bernardi’s defection before media were allowed into the room.

The Prime Minister reportedly told the room he had asked Bernardi on their phone call this morning how he justified remaining in the senate after he was elected as a Liberal just six months ago.

Related: Bernardi confirms his split form the Liberal party

Analysis: Decision to quit Liberal party career suicide, says expert

I will be seeking leave to make a statement to the Senate when it commences at 12.30pm today.

— Cory Bernardi (@corybernardi) February 7, 2017

You can find my statement on Cory Bernardi's departure from the Liberal Party here: https://t.co/doNH74MgVc

— Tony Abbott (@TonyAbbottMHR) February 7, 2017

Mr Turnbull then addressed the room on the fight facing the party in the year to come, outlining child care, jobs, energy policy and border control as key battlegrounds.

“The values of our parties, the Liberal and the National Parties, is grounding, focused on defending the interests of hardworking Australian families and the businesses which employ them, which provide them with the opportunities to get ahead.

“We are delivering more investment, more jobs, more opportunities.

“And we do so building those opportunities on a foundation of security.”

Mr Turnbull rallied the troops saying it was great to be back but they had “a lot of work to do”.

Neither Senator Bernardi or former Prime Minister Tony Abbott attended a church service which marked the beginning of Parliament in Canberra this morning.

Senator Cory Bernardi will announce his departure in a statement to the senate at 12.30pm today. Picture: Sam Mooy/AAP

Bernardi’s decision to quit has angered Turnbull Government MPs who have issued a warning to him saying there will be retribution if he chooses to split from the Liberal party today.

Senator Bernardi will announce his departure in a statement to the senate at 12.30pm when Parliament resumes. It is believed, however, that the senator has already spoken with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull this morning to confirm his decision to quit.

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

Both frontbenchers moved to downplay the affect Senator Bernardi’s departure would have on the Government, saying his split was still just speculation.

The South Australian senator has still yet to confirm or deny the reports.

“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.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his party warned there would be retribution. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

“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.”

The Liberal Party's values are not limited to conservatism. We are Liberals because we are open to new ideas; tolerant of difference; 1/2

— Christopher Pyne (@cpyne) February 6, 2017

The Liberal Party's values are not limited to conservatism. We are Liberals because we are open to new ideas; tolerant of difference; 1/2

— Christopher Pyne (@cpyne) February 6, 2017

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.

— Christopher Pyne (@cpyne) February 6, 2017

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

Ms O’Dwyer said she had yet to speak to Senator Bernardi and would not comment on speculation he was leaving.

Minister for Revenue and Financial Services Kelly O'Dwyer said Australians had 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.”

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said Labor — and not the Coalition — should be more concerned about Bernardi’s decision. Picture: Lukas Coch/AAP

As Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Cormann will be required to negotiate with Senator Bernardi as a crossbencher if he breaks away.

But Senator Cormann said recent events were more a concern for the Opposition than the Government.

“If I was Bill Shorten today I would be very worried,” he said.

“The Labor Party vote hasn’t shifted.

“Despite everything that’s going on, there’s not been an increase in the Labor Party vote at all.”

Liberal Nationals MP George 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.

Mr Christensen has confirmed he will be staying with the Nationals.

Tanya Plibersek said Bernardi’s defection illustrated Turnbull Government was weak and divided. Picture: Kym Smith

While he admitted Senator Bernardi had confided his dissatisfaction with the Liberal Party, Mr Christensen said he had not been asked to go with him.

Opposition deputy leader Tanya Plibersek said Senator Bernardi’s defection showed the Turnbull Government was “hopelessly weak” and divided.

“You know there’s something going wrong when even Cory Bernardi is leaving the sinking ship,” Ms Plibersek told reporters in Canberra.

“I mean this Prime Minister has capitulated on every single one of Senator Bernardi’s demands, on climate change, on same-sex marriage, on a whole range of issues.

“Cory Bernardi has already got exactly what he wants from this Prime Minister and yet even Cory Bernardi realises that this is a Government so hopelessly weak, divided and incompetent, that it cannot govern.”

Independent Derryn Hinch said he didn’t expect Senator Bernardi’s move to the crossbench to affect many votes.

Someone “to the right of Genghis Khan” was unlikely to vote with Labor and the Greens, he said.