NSW’s weekend by-elections have revealed a major threat the Liberal Party can no longer deny.
Despite winning former premier Gladys Berejiklian’s seat of Willoughby, Liberal candidate Tim James saw an 18 per cent swing to his independent opponent Larissa Penn.
“The rise of independents in inner city seats in Sydney and Melbourne is a major threat to the Liberal Party,” NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said.
Speaking on ABC’s 7:30, Mr Kean identified key issxjmtzywues he said were pushing inner city voters away from the more traditionally conservative Liberal Party.
“I think that those communities care about (things) like climate change, they are concerned about the rights of trans and same-sex couples for example, and they want to have those rights protected,” he said.
However, according to Kean, those issues are being looked at by representatives such as Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman, who is considered a moderate within his party.
“We wouldn’t have a net zero commitment had it not been for the advocacy of people like Trent Zimmerman and other moderates,” he said.
He also said Mr Zimmerman and others like him “put their careers on the line” by voting against the government’s religious discrimination bill.
In 2019, independent Zali Steggall replaced Tony Abbott in his former seat of Warringah, campaigning largely on a climate change platform.
“We’ve already lost one of our heartland seats in Warringah to a high-profile independent,” Mr Kean said.
“What we saw on the weekend in Willoughby … is that an independent campaign which wasn’t well financed and wasn’t well organised almost won the seat.”
“This is a huge risk that we face in our heartland seats around Sydney and Melbourne.”
Mr Kean also placed some of the blame on frustration over lockdowns dragging on longer than expected as Omicron surged late last year.
“We’ve have been through hell and back for the past two years. People were frustrated,” Mr Kean said.
“They hoped for a summer of relaxation and reunions with family and loved ones. They didn‘t get that, so it’s understandable they take out those frustrations at the ballot-box.”
