While the much-vaunted hero of the Liberal Party—Lazarus with a triple bypass, John Howard—was one of Dutton’s quiver of arrows to defend “LNP values,” the campaign seemed more like a game of press-stop whack-a-mole at petrol stations. Alongside Angus Taylor, Dutton repeated the same worn mantra, designed to sway the lowest common denominator of right-wing consciousness away from the so-called “loonie right” independents and minor parties. But in doing so, they managed to alienate anyone with a conscience.
Meanwhile, the Nationals staved off pressure from minor right parties and independents. They soaked up a few less-extreme right-wing voters in regional areas while the Liberals’ campaign was as dry as a SAO biscuit. City voters with centre-right leanings turned to locally endorsed, non-professional independent candidates who offered authenticity and a genuine will to serve their electorates.
Sounds good, doesn’t it?
The Nationals’ leadership might be reacting to the LNP coalition’s fragility—perhaps rattled by a bad press engagement. Or maybe they’ve seen the writing on the wall in regional Australia: voters are fleeing party-political decay in search of a new kind of dialogue. A “free zone” where independents speak plainly, serve locally, and ignore the tired dogma of the LNP. If the Nationals don’t evolve, they too may fall into the whirlpool of irrelevance.
Conservatives don’t seem to like the word serve. But that’s the point of representation—serving your community, not just towing the party line.
Already, “Little Johnny” and other Liberal Party stalwarts are throwing tantrums over the Coalition split. The media plays it up like a soap opera—awkward hugs, vague statements, and visible discomfort all round. They’re trying to figure out how to climb back into bed together.
If I were a Nationals leader, I’d keep them on the hook. Vote with them when needed, but stretch those independent political muscles. Test the market. Show regional voters that they’re not just sidekicks to inner-city conservatives. It might just preserve their relevance. The election results seem to support this.
The Liberals, meanwhile, are looking for a life buoy. The Senate is their last stronghold. So the question becomes: which side of the breakup will the Liberal National Party of Queensland (LNPQ) and the Country Liberal Party (CLP) align with?
Conservative parties in Australia are generating a peculiar regional stench. In the cities, they’re politically toxic. But the Senate paints a more nuanced picture of our affiliations. Bob Katter enters his 13th term. One Nation picked up a seat. Palmer United had a result. Australia’s Voice is in, with Fatima Payman adding one less vote Labor needs to pass legislation.
[Image suggestion: Infographic showing 2025 Senate election results with independent and minor party gains – can be sourced from ABC Elections or The Guardian Australia.]
Gerard Rennick’s People First hangs on the far right fringe—though one wonders who exactly he thinks should be first. Should be an interesting Question Time! Shame that Legalise Cannabis didn’t make it federally, but they’re gaining strength at the state level.
I look forward to seeing the Nationals fly their colours freely in this new dynamic—perhaps even appearing a darker green than The Greens in future Google Image visualisations of the crossbench. (Seems Jacinta Price zigged when she should’ve zagged.)
This moment is a blip in political history—but an important one. A sign of what’s to come.
We are witnessing a growing wave of “Far Middle” independents—people from both right and left representing their demographics authentically. The old swing voters are enjoying the power of playing the field. Younger Australians are embracing the idea of voting for someone else, someone better, someone local.
This idea—disrupting the two-party system—is contagious.
Forget the “Opposition Party.” The House of Representatives may be the rock stars, but the Senate plays the long game. It represents the states, the territories, and ultimately decides what laws get through and how they’re shaped by the balance of power.
Australians are mixing it up, and that’s a good thing. Labor may get their progressive legislation through—at least for now. But their shine will wear off if they don’t deliver.
The growing wave of independent community representatives is real. The Greens might try to steer Australia in their philosophical image, but even they will need to navigate the expanding crossbench. It will make for a lively Parliament.
We live in interesting times.
