Paul Fletcher
Liberals’ ‘broad church’ has become a pervasive sect
Behind the Liberal banner, reasonableness has been steadily squeezed out and, with supreme irony, the breadth of its ranks has been shrivelled to exclude moderation, pragmatism, compromise and tolerance.
Latest
Opinion
Political leadership
Where have all the liberal Libs gone? This is Dutton’s cue to learn from Howard
The Liberal Party, said John Howard, was a “broad church”, at its best when it embraced both its conservative and liberal traditions.
- by George Brandis
Liberal moderates were in the ‘winner’s circle’ under Turnbull. It’s a different story now
In 2019, there were about 22 members in the group that champions socially progressive causes. Now there are just 12 committed to staying on past the next election.
- by James Massola
Voters laboring under gutless government
Ross Gittins may well bemoan the “era of gutless government”, but perhaps he should direct his criticism to the people responsible, the electors of Australia.
Updated
Political leadership
Second leading Liberal moderate quits, saying a woman should get his seat
Former minister Paul Fletcher insisted his departure had nothing to do with the threat he faces from teal independent Nicolette Boele.
- by Paul Sakkal, Max Maddison, James Massola and Penry Buckley
‘Antisemitism’ accusation says a lot about Netanyahu
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s reported assertion that “anti-Israel sentiment is antisemitism” is an unacceptable attempt at moral diversion.
Exclusive
Australia votes
‘Like a child throwing toys from his cot’: Kylea Tink lashes Liberal MP
Kylea Tink, whose seat was recently abolished, says criticism by Bradfield MP Paul Fletcher shows how the party misunderstands the teal movement.
- by Jacqueline Maley
Presidential pardon melds fatherly care and hypocrisy
Perhaps if President Biden had confidence that the administration of justice under incoming President Donald Trump would be fair and rational, he might have felt able to withhold this pardon.
If the Libs offered more pros, there might be no ‘con job’
I voted for Nicolette Boele in the last federal election not because Paul Fletcher was part of one of the worst governments ever inflicted upon this country, but apparently because I am such a stupid woman I had no idea what I was doing.
Coalition frontbencher says voters conned into backing independents
Opposition communications spokesman Paul Fletcher, facing a battle against an independent at the next election, says teals had duped traditional Coalition supporters.
- by Shane Wright
‘Profoundly unfair’: Coalition attacks Labor’s HECS debt cut plan
Australia will go to the polls with Labor proposing to slash student debts by 20 per cent and the Coalition lashing it as a burden on the rest of the country.
- by Olivia Ireland
Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/topic/paul-william-fletcher-jn8