Politics With Michelle Grattan: Tony Barry On Why A New Liberal Leader Isn't A Quick Fix

The federal Opposition is in dire straits. Sunday's disastrous Newspoll had the Liberals on 15% primary vote, with the Nationals at 3% – well below One Nation on 27%.

Despite the Coalition reuniting over the weekend, it's yet to provide any answers about how it will win back key groups of voters, from Gen Z and Millennials, to urban voters in general.

Sussan Ley's leadership appears terminal, with Angus Taylor readying for an imminent challenge.

But as Tony Barry explains on today's podcast, a new leader alone won't solve the Liberals' problems, which run much deeper and mostly predate Ley's leadership.

Barry is a former senior Liberal staffer and now director of the consultancy firm Redbridge, which does extensive polling and other political research.

On what focus groups are saying about the Liberal Party, Barry says“they just kind of laugh”.

On Taylor's expected leadership challenge, Barry says just a change in personality at the top won't be enough to lift the party's“almost rock bottom” position.

On what the Coalition should do to improve its situation, Barry says taking risks and a bold economic agenda are the only options.

Barry says fewer than one in five (19%) of Australians now nominate the Coalition as the best party to manage the economy – traditionally one of the Coalition's strong suits.

On the rising One Nation vote, Barry says there's been a“hostile takeover” from One Nation poaching Coalition votes, based on a deep frustration with the status quo. He says many voters“want to empower One Nation to shake things up”.

So as a veteran observer of federal politics, does Barry believe the next Liberal prime minister is in the Parliament today?

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