Politics · Australia · 10 hrs ago
Outgoing Liberal senator urges party not to imitate One Nation
Tasmanian Liberal senator Jonno Duniam urged his party not to copy One Nation in his final speech to Australia’s parliament.
The Liberals have lost seats in two successive elections and are polling poorly, while One Nation’s popularity is rising.
Duniam said the Liberals should return to their roots and make their case to voters, rather than try to appease other groups or give up.
Coalition MPs disagree on how to respond, with some backing a direct contest and others discussing preference deals or government with One Nation.
Duniam said he believes the Liberals can return to government.
He also said Australia needs rules and policies for artificial intelligence, which is already affecting the country.
A parliamentary committee he helped lead has called on the government to invest in data centres and use independent assessors to monitor firms.
Outgoing Liberal Senator Jonno Duniam urged his party not to imitate One Nation in his final speech to parliament.
He said the Liberals should return to their roots, stand by their values and make their case to voters.
Duniam said the party had endured a difficult period but would form government again.
Liberal MPs have differed over whether to confront One Nation, pursue preference deals or consider governing with Pauline Hanson’s party.
Duniam also called for parliament to make artificial intelligence a priority and set rules for its use.
- Who
- Outgoing Liberal Senator Jonno Duniam.
- What
- He urged the Liberal Party not to imitate One Nation and to return to its roots.
- When
- Wednesday afternoon; the article was published on October 14, 2026.
- Where
- The Senate at Parliament House in Canberra.
- Why
- He said the Liberals should stand by their values and explain their case to voters rather than pretend to be someone else.
Liberal Party members favouring a distinct Liberal approach
Liberal members considering closer alignment with One Nation
Response to One Nation's rising popularity
Liberal Party members favouring a distinct Liberal approach
Duniam urged the Liberals to return to their roots and make their case to voters.
Liberal members considering closer alignment with One Nation
Some MPs have urged the party to take up the fight against One Nation.
Political cooperation
Liberal Party members favouring a distinct Liberal approach
Duniam warned against imitating others or ceding defeat.
Liberal members considering closer alignment with One Nation
Other MPs have discussed preference deals or forming government with Pauline Hanson's party.
Duniam joined the Senate after working as a staffer to politicians since 2003.
Duniam delivered his final speech to parliament in the Senate.
The parliamentary committee examining AI wrote to the prime minister, calling for investment in data centres and independent assessors to monitor firms.
The article was published.
- Speaker
- Jonno Duniam
- Position
- Outgoing Liberal senator
- Speech venue
- Senate, Parliament House, Canberra
- Senate entry
- 2016
- AI committee role
- Deputy chair of the parliamentary committee examining AI
What people are saying
We should never wave the white flag.
My party can give Australians what they need. Not by pretending to be someone else or seeking to appease certain actors, but by returning to our roots, by backing [our values] in with conviction … and explaining why it is better than the alternative.
This challenge is not insurmountable. We have a history and we should be proud of it.