Tasmanian Liberals reflect on how Coalition campaign didn't 'read the tea leaves'By Jessica MoranTopic:Elections1h ago1 hours agoMon 5 May 2025 at 2:50amLiberal senator Jonno Duniam (centre) says there were still people in the campaign HQ "in genuine shock". (ABC News: Matt Roberts)In short:A Tasmanian Liberal senator has pointed to a disconnect between state-based issues and the party's national campaign as a significant factor in Saturday's election defeat.Senator Jonathon Duniam and recently retired MP Gavin Pearce lamented the absence of a Tasmanian-specific approach to campaigning, which worked well for the party in 2022 to retain Liberal strongholds Bass and Braddon.What's next?The federal Liberal Party will begin its assessment on what went wrong during the campaign.abc.net.au/news/tasmanian-liberals-reflect-crushing-coalition-election-defeat/105252786Link copiedShareShare articleA Liberal senator for Tasmania says the party's campaign headquarters did not "read the tea leaves" and ignored warnings that the campaign was not going their way.In Saturday's election, the Coalition failed to win any Tasmanian lower house seats.Labor took both Braddon and Bass from the Liberals with double-digit swings, and held on to Lyons with a further 10-per-cent swing.Labor also looks set to keep Franklin, leaving just Clark, held by independent MP Andrew Wilkie.Election essentials:Federal election live updates: Follow the latest news in our blogLive results: Find out what's happening in your seat as counting continuesVoters explain what went wrong for the coalitionLoading...Liberal senator Jonathon Duniam, whose seat was not up for re-election, told ABC Mornings that things went clearly wrong."Frankly, I think there are a lot of questions to answer, particularly on the mainland," he said."Our campaign headquarters in Parramatta didn't read the tea leaves, didn't talk to us in Tasmania, didn't understand Tasmanian issues."We'd been pleading with them for quite some time to allow us to run our Tasmanian-specific approach to campaigning, which worked well in 2022. "You'd remember, we bucked the trend and Bridget Archer and Gavin Pearce were returned to parliament when we had an absolute wipe-out elsewhere on the mainland."Senator Duniam has been a Tasmanian senator since 2016. (Supplied: Jonathon Duniam)Campaign HQ 'in genuine shock'Senator Duniam said there were a range of policy ideas and projects that the Tasmanian Liberals wanted to advance but were blocked by the party's campaign headquarters."We didn't get to talk about the local health issues that we wanted to talk about," he said.Loading..."And there are people in genuine shock in our campaign headquarters wondering how we did this … we knew weeks ago we were in trouble … you only have to go out and gauge feedback at listening posts or out door-knocking."There was a degree of politeness but it wasn't the warm embrace that the pollsters that we were using internally were telling us we should be expecting."We did our own polling here in Tasmania and that is when we knew we were in trouble."Bridget Archer was not expected to lose her seat in Bass, according to election analysts. (ABC News: Manika Champ)Move from Canberra-centric focus needed, former MP saysThe retired Liberal Member for Braddon, Gavin Pearce, also commented on what went wrong for the Coalition.When the music stopped in Tasmania, the Liberals were left without a seatPhoto shows Labor supporters in red t-shirts put their fists into the air and cheer.It was something no-one saw coming — not even Labor dared dream the election would go this well, writes Lucy MacDonald.He told ABC Mornings the lack of a locally focused campaign was a significant factor in the party's loss."I've also been a local-centric politician. I don't care much for Canberra. I go there for a job, for a reason and my main focus is the electorate," he said."I think if there was more of that and less of Canberra-centric focus we'd be in a different place."Mr Pearce also said the party's loss was a "federal trend" and a "demographic issue" that was not helped by the impact of "Trumpism".Former opposition leader Peter Dutton also lost his own seat in Dickson. (ABC News: Manika Champ)Australians on Coalition's electoral wipe-outPhoto shows A young coupleFrom the outer suburbs to the seaside, the Coalition was abandoned by its core base. The ABC spoke to voters in key changing seats to ask why."All of these things added up and I don't think it was any one thing — I think it was a combination and a culmination of many things put together," he said."My advice at the moment is we just need to settle and remove the emotion … the 'I said, he said, she said', emotional side of it needs to be removed … we then need to have a critical look at what went wrong and where did it go wrong."We need to listen more to the electorate, to the constitutes, to what they need and what they want."LoadingPosted 1h ago1 hours agoMon 5 May 2025 at 2:50am, updated 1h ago1 hours agoMon 5 May 2025 at 3:08amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesLiberals closing gap in Goldstein, Bradfield as postal votes favour CoalitionLIVEPhoto shows Zoe Daniel looks into the distance at a press conference at Parliament HouseAlbanese says he received 'very warm' phone call from Donald TrumpTopic:Foreign AffairsPhoto shows a middle-aged man wearing glasses pointing'Laughable policies': Voters explain what went wrong for CoalitionTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows A young coupleFirst Canada, then Australia: Trump is toxic for conservatives everywhereAAnalysis by Alan KohlerPhoto shows man with a bald head and glasses faces a man with blond hairOutgoing Liberals blast Angus Taylor, party's lack of womenTopic:Liberal Party of AustraliaPhoto shows Hollie Hughes dstopRelated storiesLiberals on brink of near-total wipe-out in Australia's suburbsTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows Dutton, on stage, reaches his hand high to wave 'Labor's back in Tasmania': Dean Winter's state Labor buoyed by federal resultAnalysis by Lucy MacDonaldPhoto shows Three blonde ladies standing side by side, smiling at the camera.When the music stopped in Tasmania, the Liberals were left without a seatAnalysis by Lucy MacDonaldPhoto shows Labor supporters in red t-shirts put their fists into the air and cheer.Related topicsAustralian Federal ElectionsElectionsHobartLauncestonLiberal Party of AustraliaState and Territory GovernmentTASTop StoriesLiberals closing gap in Goldstein, Bradfield as postal votes favour CoalitionTopic:Australian Federal ElectionsPhoto shows Zoe Daniel looks into the distance at a press conference at Parliament HouseAlbanese says he received 'very warm' phone call from Donald TrumpTopic:Foreign Affairs'Laughable policies': Voters explain what went wrong for CoalitionTopic:ElectionsFirst Canada, then Australia: Trump is toxic for conservatives everywhereAAnalysis by Alan KohlerOutgoing Liberals blast Angus Taylor, party's lack of womenTopic:Liberal Party of AustraliaJust InRevolver nightclub groper avoids jail after assaulting 17 womenTopic:Sexual Offences6m ago6 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 4:05amAlbanese to 'slow the pace' as factions jostle over cabinet reshuffleTopic:Federal Government12m ago12 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 4:00amYouth to drive Popovic's Socceroos, but one rising star is yet to commitTopic:Socceroos29m ago29 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 3:43amHeritage push for phone box that was lifeline during bushfiresTopic:Information and Communication31m ago31 minutes agoMon 5 May 2025 at 3:40amMore Just InBack to top