Senator Jim Molan has described the Liberal Party as a “broad church” that has moved “too far to the left”, declaring he voted against Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in this week’s leadership spill.
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“I believed that Peter Dutton was best placed to bring the party back to a genuine right-of-centre position,” the patron senator for Eden-Monaro said on Wednesday.
There is a view that the Liberal Party has moved too far to the left over recent years – it is a view that I share.
- NSW Senator Jim Molan
Ten of the Prime Minister’s frontbenchers offered to resign after voting for Mr Dutton, who was defeated 48 votes to 35 during Tuesday’s party meeting.
“I base my views and choice on the creed of the Liberal Party, and the belief that we are a right-of-centre party,” Mr Molan said.
“I am also influenced by the view that the Liberal Party is a broad church.
“Our leader must hold this broad church together.”
Despite his vote against Mr Turnbull as party leader, Mr Molan said he “will support the Prime Minister”.
“I accept that result and as we provide good government for each and every one of the 25 million Australians,” he said.
Mr Molan said the party must win back lost voters who have switched their allegiance to smaller parties by offering them “a real choice”.
“There is a view that the Liberal Party has moved too far to the left over recent years – it is a view that I share,” he said.
“Whilst this government has achieved a great many things, the perception that we have moved too far to the left has resulted in many of our supporters leaving us for cross bench parties.
“We will not win those good people back by adopting polices that are closer to the Labor Party or the Greens.”
Meanwhile, Labor MP Mike Kelly said his party is “stable and united”, and “100 per cent focused on the Australian people – not ourselves”.
“The Liberal Party has forgotten about the people, they have been overtaken by division and chaos and have stopped governing,” the Eden-Monaro MP said on Wednesday.
“I know the community is over this drama and so am I.
“I’m focused on the things that are important to the community in Eden-Monaro like hospitals, schools, jobs, penalty rates, power prices, helping our farmers in times of drought and housing affordability.”
