Paul Kelly, The Australian's editor at large, speaks to political editor Tom McIlroy about his new book, The Twilight of Exceptionalism, which examines the turbulent era of the Liberal Party under prime ministers Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, and Scott Morrison.
Leadership transitions and party fractures
Kelly writes about how Liberal leadership changed hands from a conservative (Abbott) to a progressive (Turnbull) and then a transactional centrist (Morrison). He argues this period demonstrated the party was fractured over its values and confused about its identity in a changing world.
Gender quotas and party reform
The interview also touches on proposals for gender quotas as the party seeks to become a 'fit-for-purpose political machine'. Kelly questions whether the second coming of Tony Abbott can resurrect the Liberal Party or if it is another step toward 'self-destruction'.
According to Kelly, the Liberal Party's identity crisis reflects broader challenges in Australian politics, as the party struggles to define its core values amid shifting societal expectations.
