Tasmanian Liberal ‘coup’ to ‘make and break’ careers

Senior Tasmanian Liberals claim a party ‘coup’ could help resurrect the career of former senator Eric Abetz, nobble those of others, including MP Bridget Archer, and elevate a new maverick conservative.

Liberal moderate Bridget Archer. Some Liberals believe she could be a loser from an alleged ‘coup’ attempt within the party. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Senior Tasmanian Liberals claim a party “coup” could help resurrect the career of former senator Eric Abetz, nobble those of others, ­including MP Bridget Archer, and elevate a new maverick ­conservative.

A contest is under way for the party’s state presidency and treasurer positions, to be decided on Saturday in a vote of about 200 delegates to the Liberal state council. There are two candidates for the vacant presidency – Catholic archdiocesan master of ceremonies Michael McKenna and Clarence Mayor Brendan Blomeley, both conservatives.

Mr Blomeley was last month forced to remove a video from YouTube spruiking his candidacy as a means of addressing “a declining and disaffected membership” and reasserting members’ “power” over MPs.

It is understood Mr McKenna is backed by Premier Jeremy Rockliff and most state and federal parliamentary representatives, while Mr Blomeley is backed by ­influential former senator and federal minister, Mr Abetz.

The numbers are described as “tight” and “line ball”.

Clarence Mayor Brendan Blomeley. Picture: Linda Higginson

As well, the current party treasurer, Rod Bramich, is being challenged by small businessman Corey Mingari, while a race for Young Liberals president – with a seat on the party’s state executive – will follow the state council.

Several senior figures within the party said Mr Blomeley and Mr Abetz were working together on a “coup”, to seize control of the state executive.

Moderates, and even some conservatives, said Abetz-Blomeley control of the state executive would plunge the Tasmanian ­Liberals into the kind of factional warfare tearing the party apart in other states.

They said it would be a major blow to the standing of the moderate Mr Rockliff, as he seeks to reset his government after damaging MP defections, a branch revolt and a staff exodus.

As well, they said it would create friction between most elected representatives and the state executive and was part of a push to see Mr Blomeley preselected for the Senate and Mr Abetz as a state candidate. They believed it could embolden a push by some conservatives to block or undermine the preselection of outspoken moderate and Bass federal MP, Ms Archer.

While that decision does not rest with the state executive, sources said it could delay or frustrate Ms Archer’s preselection, to the point she might quit the party.

Some senior figures also believed Mr Abetz and Mr Blomeley would work to demote senator Richard Colbeck to a losable place on the party’s Senate ticket – a fate Mr Abetz suffered in 2022. However, supporters of Mr Blomeley and Mr Mingari said claims of a coup were “ridiculous”, given current president Chris Gatendy was standing down.

They accused senior figures of spreading misinformation in their desperation to “protect the status quo” and of ignoring membership disillusionment with party “elites”.

While rejecting claims Mr Blomeley’s election as president would undermine Mr Rockliff’s leadership, they unashamedly hoped to send a message to the “leadership elite”. They also believed the state executive was overpopulated with staffers and ­allies of Senator Colbeck, arguing greater diversity was needed.

Some Liberals, meanwhile, ­expressed concern Mr McKenna’s election could give the Catholic Church too much influence within the party. Mr McKenna, Mr Rockliff and Mr Mingari did not respond to requests for comment, while Mr Abetz, Ms Archer and Mr Blomeley said it would be inappropriate to comment.