Liberal election review recommends teal MP scrutiny, tactical fightback

However, the review by the shadow finance minister Jane Hume and former federal director Brian Loughnane, has sidestepped policy shifts to win back "alienated", likely female voters. Instead making 49 recommendations, including a 50 per cent target rather than a quota for female representation within its parliamentary ranks inside 10 years.

The review found the Liberals were "out-campaigned" by the teal independents in the six seats it lost to them, and described them as a "political party" and they "should be treated as such" by the Liberal party going forward.

On May 21, the once safe, blue-ribbon seats of Kooyong, Wentworth, Mackellar, North Sydney, Goldstein and Curtin fell to independent teal candidates, as well as two seats in Brisbane to the Greens where there was no teal presence.

The party also lost 18 seats to Labor.

The review found the teals conducted lengthy, "professionally-run", grassroots-focused campaigns and long-term Liberal voters, particularly women, described as "Liberal defectors", had become "alienated" from the party. The level of resourcing, coordination and sophistication of the teal campaign was only revealed after the election loss.

"It is, however, very clear that, from a campaigning perspective, the "teals" are not a series of "independent" entities. They are, for all intents and purposes, and by any meaningful interpretation of the term, a political party and should be treated as such going forward," the review states.

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Among the recommendations, the review tasks the Liberal Federal Director to coordinate and compile all available information on the background, history and functioning of the teal campaigns, including "the voting record of teal MPs, their social media and other comments".

As well, initial campaign plans are to be developed for each seat lost to teal or Green candidates, with consideration to be given to the need for further detailed research on lost Liberal voters.

The level of support for local branches in teal seats is to be reviewed and it has been recommended Liberal candidates in teal seats are pre-selected early, including "wide consultation with the relevant local community".

The early preselection call addresses the eleventh hour preselections in 2022, particularly in NSW, which contributed to the Coalition loss.

The review had found that in some, but not all of these seats, the Liberal Party resources, including its volunteer support base, was "clearly not at a level needed to contest an intense marginal seat campaign".

The Liberal review starts the teal fightback mission, saying the lost seats must be won back at the next election to have any chance at forming government.

"The party must concede no seat and must vigorously contest the teal seats at the next election," the review said.

"This will require the strongest possible candidate in each seat and a rebuilding of the Party infrastructure in each seat. It will also require specific strategies for each seat."