A secret review of the Liberal party's 2025 election campaign has revealed a catalogue of errors that led to its worst result in history, with former leader Peter Dutton described as 'unattractive to women'. The 64-page autopsy, authored by party elders Pru Goward and Nick Minchin, was tabled in parliament by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after being leaked to Guardian Australia.
The review, which the Liberal federal executive had voted to suppress, found the campaign was 'the worst the Party has ever fought'. It criticised Dutton's leadership style and the party's nuclear energy policy, which was deemed 'weird' and poorly communicated to voters.
According to the document, Dutton's image was a major liability, with focus groups showing he failed to connect with key demographics, particularly women. The review also highlighted internal divisions and a lack of clear messaging as contributing factors to the defeat.
The Liberal party has not commented on the review's findings, but the leak has sparked internal debate about the party's future direction. The review's authors recommend a complete overhaul of campaign strategy and candidate selection processes ahead of the next election.
