Historic Liberal loss: David Pocock and Zed Seselja at the Region Senate Candidate Debate. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
The review into the Canberra Liberals’ disastrous performance at the last federal election will soon be made available to party members.
The loss of right-winger power broker Zed Seselja’s senate seat to independent David Pocock meant for the first time the ACT did not have any Liberal representation in the Parliament.
The review, headed by former leader of the Liberal Party of Western Australia Dr Mike Nahan and former Victorian Liberal Senator Helen Kroger, looked at the challenge posed by independents and minor parties running in the Territory and examined the performance of – and lessons for – the parliamentary team and candidates, Coalition Campaign Headquarters, and the ACT Division.
It also examined the party’s electoral performance among different voter segments and was to propose strategies to regain federal representation.
But nine months after the election and less than 20 months until the next ACT Legislative Assembly election, questions had been raised about when the review would be released.
A Canberra Liberals spokesperson confirmed that the review was at its final stage and would be released to members next week.
Canberra Liberals’ President John Cziesla last year blamed a well-funded ‘vicious’ campaign from the Left for the Seselja loss and accused the media of supporting it.
There had been concerns from some that the review would sink without a trace given the likely uncomfortable content but the Liberals spokesperson said there was no intention to keep it from party members.
There is also the possibility it could reignite internal tensions, tamped down to give Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee clear air to take the fight to the Barr Government.
Candice Burch is vacating her position with the Canberra Liberals to work in Sydney. Photo: Region.
Those tensions may also resurface due to the vacancy for the Vice President position on the party executive created by the sudden departure in January of former Kurrajong MLA Candice Burch who has taken a corporate affairs job in Sydney with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
She was previously public affairs and public relations manager at the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.
Ms Burch had a torrid time as an MLA with her election posters tampered with by a former Young Liberals member as part of an internal dispute, which the party investigated.
Mr Cziesla informed party members in a recent update about Ms Burch’s departure and thanked her for her service to the party, including as Young Liberal President, an MLA and Vice President.
“We will greatly miss Candice and her contributions to the party more broadly, including her work to establish the Small Business and Professionals Networks,” he said.
There is no requirement for the vacancy to be filled immediately, but many contenders are jostling for the position, which should be resolved at a membership meeting before the end of June.
Ms Burch defeated the Seselja-backed Arthur Potter by a single vote for the Vice President’s casual vacancy in September with the help of the reform-minded Menzies Group, then stood unopposed for the position at the Annual General Meeting in October, part of a deal between the Hard or pro-Seselja Right and the Gerry Wheeler-led Pragmatic Right faction.
At the time, some hailed it as a sign of a new era for the party, but the AGM resulted in the Right maintaining its grip on the party, wrapping up the key positions.
Now it remains to be seen whether the vacancy will stay with the Right or be seen as another opportunity to bring change to the Canberra Liberals’ organisational wing.
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