Morrison, like Menzies, must assert his authority over party

Scott Morrison travelled to Albury the other day to give his first major speech as Prime Minister. Albury was where a second conference of political organisations was held that established the Liberal Party in December 1944. Robert Menzies, then the opposition leader, was the principal figure in its founding.

Morrison, like all Liberal leaders, looks to Menzies for inspiration and validation. He remains the standard against which all subsequent Liberal leaders are judged. It is remarkable that Menzies, who died in 1978, remains a touchstone for Liberals more than 50 years after he left politics — a testament to his electoral success and longevity, but also to his model of leadership.

While Labor might sneer at Morrison paying homage to Menzies, the latter can be a useful guide for the Liberal Party’s 14th leader. Menzies’ great skill was to unify the non-Labor forces and to define and articulate a new “political faith” to guide the Liberal Party. He was a clever political tactician, a superb orator and debater, and a sound manager of the party and the cabinet.

Morrison needs to do more than demonstrate his fidelity to Menzies. Perhaps the most important thing to learn from Menzies was that he had authority as party leader and prime minister. This, more than anything else, is essential to stabilising the party, vesting it with purpose and an agenda, and winning the next election, however remote this may seem.

Menzies was not always popular, and never won the broad ­affection of voters, but he was respected and admired as prime minister from 1949 to 1966. Menzies knew that the most important political commodity was authority. He understood, like John Howard, that authority was more important than popularity, which can be fleeting.

The task for Morrison is to establish credibility and respect as Prime Minister and party leader. This is critical in being able to command attention when talking about policy ideas or political values. It is essential when running a cabinet, managing a coalition and dealing with a partyroom. And it is necessary when campaigning for another term in office.

Morrison’s authority has ­already been challenged on a number of fronts, and this is likely to continue. There have been a number of leaks from cabinet on policy. Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop have been pushing for Peter Dutton to be referred to the High Court over his ­constitutional eligibility to be an MP. And the recriminations relating to Turnbull’s downfall continue to swirl through the party.

Morrison must deliver an energy policy that manages to satisfy a fractious party. He is under pressure to reconsider immigration levels, he has pledged to address religious freedom and is adopting a stronger stance on workplace relations and rogue unions. These issues are all fraught with difficulty. Marginal seat MPs will be nervous about taking on unions. Remember Work Choices?

It was not a good look that Morrison’s preferred candidate for the Wentworth by-election, Katherine O’Regan, could only muster 19 out of 201 votes in the preselection. Turnbull and Howard, who both lobbied on behalf of Dave Sharma, had more influence. Morrison wanted a female candidate to address underrepresentation in the Liberal Party but this did little to sway preselectors.

The Wentworth by-election on October 20 may not be easy for the Liberals to win. Kerryn Phelps is a strong independent candidate who will not direct preferences to the Liberal Party. Her campaign is being advised by Labor figures. A defeat in the by-election would see the government lose its majority in parliament. This will be another test for Morrison’s authority.

Phelps will campaign, in part, on the termination of Turnbull’s prime ministership. It is why Morrison needs to better explain why he is Australia’s fifth prime minister in five years. This question will continue to be asked until a convincing formulation is given. Morrison is the only prime minister to take office midterm and not receive a boost in the polls. There has been no honeymoon. His presence in Wentworth only serves to remind voters that the former prime minister and popular local MP was felled.

Morrison has made a decent start overall as Prime Minister, even though the Coalition lags well behind Labor in the polls. He has been especially confident and assured in parliament. Menzies argued that it was in parliament that a prime minister gained their authority. If a prime minister, and a government, could not win debates in parliament, they had little hope of convincing the voters, Menzies believed.

Central to winning the battle of ideas is developing a new statement of political faith that articulates what the Liberal Party stands for under Morrison’s leadership. Menzies said the party’s animating purpose was to encourage “individual initiative and enterprise” in Australia. He spoke of the need for “a positive creed for a positive organisation”. And he said Liberals must not resist “political and economic progress” lest they be “branded as reactionaries”.

Uniting the party with a refreshed political purpose could not be more important given the deep ideological divisions within it. This will help the government navigate a series of difficult policy issues and sharpen the differences with Labor. To establish his authority, Morrison must vest the party with his brand of liberalism in the Menzies tradition.