Fred Chaney: The Liberal Party Has Lost Its Way (28 Apr 2025)
Across Australia, voters are turning away from the major parties. This isn’t a fad - it’s a rational response to deep and growing dissatisfaction. I share that dissatisfaction.
Neither party is dealing with the fundamental issues facing the Australian community: access to housing, a fair tax system and practical climate & energy policy that isn’t politicised. Even the Liberal-boosting Murdoch press has acknowledged: “What has been lacking from the major parties is any sense of true purpose to deal with the big issues of national concern.”
No Courage
Australia is drifting. Big problems are not being addressed, and neither party is showing the capacity or courage to act. Parliament is full of people doing politics, not good government.
In 2022, I supported Kate Chaney because I believed the Morrison government was not fit to govern. My concerns were captured by the Robodebt scandal - a shameful, brutal and illegal policy that caused despair and even suicide. The Liberal Party, once grounded in respect for all, has never apologised.
The Liberal Party I served for many years had, as a central principle, respect for the individual. That meant all individuals, not just its supporters. In 2022, I could not recognise the party I had joined and did not believe it had the capacity to reform itself.
The Liberal Party has not learned anything
Now in 2025, we see the same disregard for people in policy ‘thought bubbles’ that are quickly dropped when they become unpopular - from abolishing the education department, to ending working from home, to cutting 41,000 public servants. These are not the ideas of a party that has learned anything.
The Opposition appears more interested in blame and division than in solving problems. It offers campaign lines - not real policies - and focuses on electoral tactics instead of the national interest.
In this context, I believe it’s vital to support Kate Chaney as an independent, because the only hope for reform is for the ‘sensible centre’ to show the major parties that they must change. Hard decisions must be made and communities must be part of the process of government.
Electing a Liberal or Labor candidate in Curtin will change nothing. Re-electing Kate is Curtin’s best chance to change Australian politics for the better.
Regards,
Fred Chaney AO
Former Deputy Liberal Leader
and Federal Minister
