This was published 8 years ago
Election 2016: Liberal senator Cory Bernardi says Malcolm Turnbull's future is up for debate
By Tom McIlroy
Conservative firebrand senator Cory Bernardi says Malcolm Turnbull's future is up for debate within the Liberal Party, as he blamed party bosses for the election "disaster".
Speaking on Adelaide radio on Monday, the South Australian senator said the Coalition had been out-campaigned by Labor and that senior government figures should "examine their conscience" over the result.
Asked if Mr Turnbull should remain as Prime Minister, Senator Bernardi said Mr Turnbull's future was a matter for the party room
"The broader picture and the question we've got to ask ourselves is how did we get to a circumstance where we had a significant majority in the House of Representatives and now the best option is perhaps to form minority government," he said.
Cory Bernardi will resign from the Liberal Party to form his own conservative movement.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
"People should examine their conscience, think about their contribution to this disaster and then I would prevail on them to do the right thing."
He said the campaign team and Mr Turnbull "need to be held to account".
"I think in the end he should be asking himself if he has done the Liberal Party a service or a disservice," Senator Bernardi said.
"The conclusion that I come to is we went down the same path that Labor did during the Rudd-Gillard years.
Senator Cory Bernardi is upset Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull spent time with broadcaster Waleed Aly and his wife Susan Carland at Kirribilli House.Credit: Andrew Meares
"We made a decision, which was incorrect in my view, to change leaders in the first term and the transaction cost of that has been felt at this election."
Asked about the futures of former prime minister Tony Abbott and deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop, Senator Bernardi denied carrying a torch for any individuals.
"There are some architects of what has happened and the results here. Whether that goes back to the change of leadership, or the election program, the rebranding of the Liberal Party, the policy agenda, the decision to alienate our base - all of those things people need to be held to account for.
"I think the conservative wing of the Liberal Party were very, very disciplined. We offered nothing but support to the Prime Minister, we provided advice behind the scenes when we can.
I think in the end he should be asking himself if he has done the Liberal Party a service or a disservice
"That advice was seldom listened to ... it just says you cannot turn your back on your party base. This is something I have consistently warned about for many, many years."
He singled out Liberal strategist Mark Textor for criticism, suggesting his advice to Mr Turnbull had caused significant missteps.
"We had our chief pollster, Mark Textor, say that the base doesn't matter, they've got nowhere to go, we'll pick up more votes in the centre.
"We had the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull say Pauline Hanson has no place in Australian politics, and yet she represents the views or she reflects the concerns of many, many people; whether she does that well or badly is up for others to judge.
"Then we had circumstances where the Prime Minister was happy to hold and promote his inter-faith dinner and was more happy to be pictured with Waleed Aly than with the conservative base of the Liberal Party."
Responding to criticism of his role, Mr Textor has said he had never suggested conservative voters did not matter. He said his previous comments were about a right-wing website, not centre-right and conservative Australians.
Denying he was speaking out in his own self-interest, Senator Bernardi said he had chosen to start a rebuilding effort.
"I think the Liberal Party will have to have a very substantial soul searching. That means every single one of us will need to think about the future," he said.