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National Right (Liberal Party of Australia)

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National Right Faction
Hard Right, National Right, Conservatives
Ideology
Political positionRight-wing[8]
Associated partyLiberal
Colours  Blue
House of Representatives
14 / 28
(2025 seats)[citation needed]
Senate
7 / 24
(2025 seats)[citation needed]

The National Right,[9] also known as the Conservatives,[10] or the Hard Right,[11] is one of three factions within the federal Liberal Party of Australia. Reportedly concerned more with social issues,[3] the faction is the largest, traditionally most organised[9] and the furthest right-leaning of the three.[12][13] However, it is noted that the faction has been divided recently over faction member Andrew Hastie's possible leadership ambitions,[14] which has caused some internal shifts in the faction.

During the prime ministership of Malcolm Turnbull, the faction (of which Turnbull was not a member) rose in size and influence,[15] and between 2019–2022 it underwent a change of leadership, but lost many prominent members, including Tony Abbott, Eric Abetz and Kevin Andrews,[3] as well as former Liberal Party Senators Cory Bernardi[dubious – discuss] and Mathias Cormann.[16]

The faction has the largest and most of the young membership out all the Factions, with Andrew Hastie, James Paterson, Philip Thompson, Jonathon Duniam, Henry Pike, Ben Small, Jacinta Nampijinta Price, Jessica Collins, Aaron Violi, Simon Kennedy, and Clare Chandler all being millennials.[17] Furthermore, former New South Wales Premier, Dominic Perrottet, is from the faction.[18][19]

After faction member Peter Dutton[20] lost the 2025 Australian federal election the faction underwent a significant change in leadership as Michael Sukkar (faction boss[citation needed]) and Peter Dutton (opposition leader) both lost their seats. However, the faction maintained its position as the largest faction as the Moderates and Centre Right also had significant member losses. Furthermore, Angus Taylor, who is in the National Right faction, was defeated in a leadership election by Sussan Ley by 29 votes to 24.[21]

Membership

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Current MPs

[edit]
Membership[9]
Name Constituency Current shadow or former government positions State or territory
Michaelia Cash Senator for Western Australia Opposition Leader in the Senate and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs[22]

Former minister for Women, Employment,[23] Employment and Skills and Small/Family Business, Industrial Relations and Attorney General[24] portfolios. Former Deputy Leader of Government in Senate[24]

WA
Angus Taylor Member for Hume Shadow Minister for Defence

Former Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction,[24] and Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity portfolios[25]

NSW
Alex Antic Senator for South Australia SA
Andrew Hastie Member for Canning WA
James Paterson Senator for Victoria Shadow Minister for Finance, Public Service and Government Services[22] VIC
Garth Hamilton Member for Groom QLD
Slade Brockman Senator for Western Australia Former President of the Senate WA
Phillip Thompson Member for Herbert Shadow Assistant Minister[22] QLD
Tony Pasin Member for Barker SA
Rick Wilson Member for O'Connor WA
Matt O'Sullivan Senator for Western Australia Shadow Assistant Minister[22] WA
Jonathon Duniam Senator for Tasmania Shadow Minister for Education and Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate[22] TAS
Claire Chandler Senator for Tasmania TAS
Henry Pike Member for Bowman QLD
Ben Small Member for Forrest WA
Leah Blyth Senator for South Australia Shadow Assistant Minister[22] SA
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price Senator for the Northern Territory NT
Dan Tehan Member for Wannon Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction[22]

Former Minister for Trade Tourism and Investment,[24] Education,[24] Social Services,[25] Defence Personnel, Veterans' Affairs, and Defence Materiel[23] portfolios.

VIC
Jessica Collins Senator for New South Wales NSW
Sarah Henderson Senator for Victoria VIC
Aaron Violi Member for Casey VIC
Simon Kennedy Member for Cook Shadow Assistant Minister[22] NSW
Tom Venning Member for Grey SA
Terry Young Member for Longman QLD
Cameron Caldwell Member for Fadden QLD

Former MPs

[edit]
Membership (both houses)[3]
Name Constituency Other positions State or Territory
Tony Abbott Member for Warringah (1994–2019) Former Prime Minister of Australia NSW
Eric Abetz Senator for Tasmania (1994–2022)
  • Leader of the Government in the Senate (2013–15)
  • Minister for Employment (2013–15)
2024 Tasmanian election candidate for Franklin 		TAS
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells Senator for New South Wales (2005–22) Minister for International Development and the Pacific in the Turnbull Government (2016–18) NSW
Kevin Andrews Member for Menzies (1991–2022)
  • Former Minister for Defence
  • Former Minister for Social Services
 VIC
Gerard Rennick Senator for Queensland (2019–2024) (left the party) QLD
Gladys Liu Member for Chisholm (2019–22) VIC
Amanda Stoker Senator for Queensland (2018–22) Former Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General QLD
Nicolle Flint Member for Boothby (2016–22) SA
Christian Porter Member for Pearce (2013–22)
  • Former Minister for Industry, Science and Technology
  • Former Attorney-General
  • Leader of the House
  • Former Minister for Industrial Relations
  • Former Minister for Social Services
 WA
Zed Seselja Former Senator for Australian Capital Territory (2013–22)
  • Former Minister for International Development and the Pacific
  • Assistant Minister for Social Services and Multicultural Affairs (2016–17)
 ACT
Alan Tudge Member for Aston (2010–23)
  • Minister for Education and Youth (2020–21)
  • Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure (2018–20)
  • Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs (2017–18)
  • Minister for Human Services (2016–17)
 VIC
Mathias Cormann Former Senator for Western Australia (2007–20)
  • Minister for Finance (2013–20)
  • Leader of the Government in the Senate (2017–20)
 WA
Peter Dutton Member for Dickson (2001–25) Leader of the Opposition (2022–2025) QLD
Gavin Pearce Member for Braddon (2019–2025) TAS
Ian Goodenough Member for Moore (2013–2024) WA

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Pimenta, David (10 November 2023). "Two sides of the same 'West': the radical right wing in Australia and Portugal". theloop.ecpr.eu. European Political Science Review. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  2. ^ Massola, James (10 October 2025). "Liberal Party factions: The split in the Right that is reshaping the political landscape". The Age. Archived from the original on 10 October 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Massola, James (21 March 2021). "Who's who in the Liberals' left, right and centre factions?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 22 March 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Bourke, Latika (19 January 2018). "'Arrogantly ignored': Right-wing Liberals hit back at Ruddock 'unity' ticket". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 12 February 2019.
  5. ^ a b Patrick, Aaron (2 April 2023). "Conservatives used to think Aston was the Liberals' future". Australian Financial Review. Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023.
  6. ^ [3][4][5]
  7. ^ [3][4]
  8. ^ [3][4][5][1]
  9. ^ a b c Massola, James (10 October 2025). "Liberal Party factions: The split in the Right that is reshaping the political landscape". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  10. ^ Nicholls, Sean; Selvaratnam, Naomi; March, Stephanie (7 July 2022). "Liberals accuse each other's factions of 'thuggish behaviour' and being 'a cancer that's infected the party'". ABC News - Four Corners. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  11. ^ Rabe, Tom (6 August 2019). "'Absolute pain': Internal division exposed in Liberal feud". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  12. ^ Gauja, Anika; Chen, Peter; Curtin, Jennifer; Pietsch, Juliet, eds. (2018). Double Disillusion: The 2016 Australian Federal Election. ANU Press. doi:10.22459/DD.04.2018. hdl:10072/415462. ISBN 9781760461867. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  13. ^ O'Malley, Nick (27 October 2018). "Who is the 'base' the conservative faction of the Liberal Party keep talking about?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  14. ^ Jervis-Bardy, Dan (6 October 2025). "Hastie says his stepping down gives Ley 'clear air' – but are storm clouds gathering for the Coalition?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  15. ^ Norman, Jane (18 June 2018). "The Liberals' conservative faction is growing — and so is its influence over the party". ABC News. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  16. ^ Packham, Ben; Kelly, Joe (5 August 2011). "Liberal row widens over Turnbull". The Australian. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  17. ^ Tillett, Andrew (23 August 2019). "The rise of the next generation of factional leaders". Australian Financial Review. Archived from the original on 1 July 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  18. ^ Seccombe, Mike (24 July 2021). "How power and factionalism work in Berejikliand". The Saturday Paper. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  19. ^ Davies, Anne (22 January 2022). "The Right stuff: why shellshocked NSW Liberal moderates are fearing factional fights". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  20. ^ Stayner, Tom (26 May 2022). "Who is the new leader of the Liberal party Peter Dutton?". SBS News. Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  21. ^ Mcllroy, Tom; Dhanji, Krishani (13 May 2025). "Sussan Ley elected first female Liberal party leader and leaves possibility open of Coalition abandoning net zero targets". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h "Ley shadow ministry", Wikipedia, 3 October 2025, retrieved 13 October 2025[circular reference]
  23. ^ a b "First Turnbull ministry", Wikipedia, 15 September 2025, retrieved 13 October 2025[circular reference]
  24. ^ a b c d e "Second Morrison ministry", Wikipedia, 23 September 2025, retrieved 13 October 2025[circular reference]
  25. ^ a b "Second Turnbull ministry", Wikipedia, 21 September 2025, retrieved 13 October 2025[circular reference]
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