Climate change, Clive Palmer and China were identified as issues that hurt the WA Liberals in last month’s election at a controversial and secretive post-election debrief held at the Italian Club on Wednesday night auspol ausvotes
Climate change, Clive Palmer and China were identified as issues that hurt the WA Liberals in last month’s election at a controversial and secretive post-election debrief held at the Italian Club on Wednesday night.spoke to three attendees of the event, the only one of its kind for lay party members to air grievances about the campaign which resulted in the party’s primary vote being smashed by 10.4 per cent in WA and five seats lost – one to independent Kate Chaney and four to Labor.
Media were banned, the guest list was carefully vetted, and attendees were not allowed to turn on mobile phones, take notes or blame individuals, including members of the group of powerbrokers known as ‘The Clan’, for the election loss. Failed candidates including former Stirling MP Vince Connelly and Pearce candidate Linda Aitken attended, alongside re-elected MP Andrew Hastie and senators Dean Smith and Matt O’Sullivan.
Climate change was a divisive issue, but there was support in the room for lifting the ban on nuclear energy.