Enter Canavan, hyper-nationalist, coal enthusiast and protector of jokes around the barbie

March 12, 2026 — 4:00am

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The story of the federal Coalition since last May’s election has been overwhelmingly dreadful – an episode of dysfunction and self-harm that will fascinate political scientists for years to come.

In the wake of a massive defeat, the Liberal and National parties saddled themselves with leaders who were wrong for their jobs and for each other. Sussan Ley was the first to go. She’s gone from politics altogether. And now David Littleproud has gone too, having fallen on his sword. For the Coalition, there are new sheriffs in town. Both parties have gone for the clean sweep, installing new leaders and new deputies. Angus Taylor and Jane Hume have barely settled in as Liberal leader and deputy and now Matt Canavan and Darren Chester hold the corresponding positions with the Nationals.

A double-barrelled question confronts the Coalition: can it rebuild itself or, with One Nation on the march and seemingly swallowing up enormous chunks of their supporter base, is it already too late? In the technical sense at least, bringing in new leadership teams is a start. It’s an acknowledgement that a problem exists. We’re yet to see just how much of an improvement the new leadership players are on their predecessors. Taylor and Hume didn’t begin well. They were rightly laughed off the stage with their opening gambit of a sub-undergraduate condemnation of their opponents as the “worst........

© Brisbane Times