Political insiders have confirmed that former Liberal senator Cory Bernardi is the mystery new recruit poised to join Pauline Hanson's One Nation party. Bernardi, who first entered the Senate back in 2006, dramatically quit the Liberal Party in 2017, citing growing frustrations with the leadership of then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
A Political Journey from Liberals to Conservatives and Now One Nation
Following his departure from the Liberals, Bernardi launched the Australian Conservatives party. However, this venture was short-lived, closing its doors in 2019 after failing to gain significant traction with the Australian electorate. Now, in a surprising new chapter, Bernardi is preparing to publicly announce his switch to One Nation. The official reveal is scheduled to take place in Adelaide on Tuesday, with party insiders indicating he will be unveiled as a lead Senate candidate for the next federal election.
Weeks of Speculation and Teasing Culminate in Major Announcement
This move comes at the end of a week filled with heavy teasing from One Nation's top ranks. James Ashby, Pauline Hanson's chief of staff, recently hinted at a 'big announcement' involving high-profile recruits, including names from the former Coalition government. Adding to the speculation, One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce, who himself defected from the Nationals, signalled on Monday that another former Nationals MP is preparing to jump ship.
When pressed for details during a television interview, Joyce played coy, stating, 'Well, it wouldn't be a big announcement, if I made an announcement today, would it? It would be certainly a scoop. That's what the word is, a scoop. But I'm not going to make the announcement.'
An 'Open Secret' Within Political Circles
Sources familiar with the Bernardi move describe his impending defection as 'an open secret,' noting that he has recently been sharing One Nation material on his social media platforms. A South Australian Liberal source downplayed the significance of the move, dismissing it as 'Cory being Cory' and adding that he no longer maintains much of a relationship with the state branch of the Liberal Party.
A History of Controversial Statements and Political Firestorms
Bernardi's political career has often been marked by controversy. In 2012, then-Opposition Leader Tony Abbott sacked him from his role as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary following a series of incendiary comments during the national debate on same-sex marriage.
During a particularly heated Senate session, Bernardi argued that 'radicals' were driving the push for marriage equality and claimed it could unravel Australia's social fabric. He controversially stated, 'The next step, quite frankly, is having three people or four people that love each other being able to enter into a permanent union endorsed by society – or any other type of relationship.'
He went further, adding, 'There are even some creepy people out there... [who] say it is OK to have consensual sexual relations between humans and animals. Will that be a future step? In the future will we say, “These two creatures love each other and maybe they should be able to be joined in a union”?' Abbott condemned these remarks at the time, saying many Australians would find them 'repugnant.'
Rising Poll Numbers for One Nation Amid Coalition Turmoil
The political landscape is shifting, according to a new poll by Redbridge. Support for One Nation has risen significantly to 26 per cent, while combined support for the Liberal and National parties has fallen from 26 per cent in December to just 19 per cent. This drop in popularity is likely linked to ongoing infighting within the Coalition.
Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley recently issued a stark warning to Nationals leader David Littleproud, stating that if the Nationals did not rejoin the formal alliance by February 9th, the separation would be considered permanent.
Analyst Warns of Potential Irreversible Damage to Major Parties
Redbridge poll director Tony Barry provided a sobering analysis of the situation. 'The problem for the Liberal and National parties is we still don't know where the bottom is for their vote and where One Nation's ceiling is,' he said. 'What we don't know yet is how much of One Nation's vote is protest or power. But if the Liberal and National parties keep accumulating scar tissue and don't change the story arc, it might be unsalvageable.'
The Daily Mail has contacted both Cory Bernardi and James Ashby for comment on these developments, but no official statements have been released at this time. The political world now awaits Tuesday's expected announcement in Adelaide, which could signal a significant realignment in Australian conservative politics.
