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AAP
AAP
Politics
Maeve Bannister

Liberal Party searches for ways to win back voters

Peter Dutton says the coalition must better sell its effectiveness on issues like renewable energy. (Morgan Hancock/AAP IMAGES) (AAP)

The Liberals are searching for answers following consecutive election losses, but one federal MP says the party must stop engaging in "crazy culture war" issues if it wants to win back voters.

A historic loss of the Aston electorate is the latest example of voters abandoning the party and follows consecutive Liberal defeats in the Victorian, NSW and federal elections.

The Liberal primary vote in 2022 was the lowest since it fought its first election in 1946.

Liberal senator Andrew Bragg said the problems arose when fringe party members engaged in "nasty" debates which did not register well with voters.

This included anti-transgender sentiment and climate change denial.

"There's been a tendency on the fringes to try and Americanise some of these cultural wars here in Australia, which I think has been very regrettable and has damaged particularly vulnerable communities," Senator Bragg told ABC Radio National.

"That has been nasty at times and that's why we need to maintain our position as a mainstream political movement that is focused on the major issues facing people and not drawn into the margins on crazy culture war issues."

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the coalition needed to become better at selling how effective it had been on issues such as renewable energy.

"The highest uptake of solar per capita anywhere in the world is in our country as a result of Liberal National Party investments and policy decisions," he said.

Peter Dutton rejects claims his leadership contributed to the Liberals' defeats in recent elections. (Julian Smith/AAP IMAGES) (AAP)

"We want to make decisions that are going to help families and small businesses not hurt them."

On Tuesday, Mr Dutton and deputy leader Sussan Ley were in Albury, where in 1944 the Liberal Party's organisational and constitutional framework was drawn up.

They will come to Canberra on Wednesday for the first party room meeting since the Aston loss, with the aim of settling a position on enshrining an Indigenous voice in the constitution.

Senator Bragg said Mr Dutton was doing a good job of keeping the federal Liberal Party together following its 2022 defeat.

"The next stage is to set out alternative policies in the second year (of opposition) and then try and win and the support of the people in the second and third year," he said.

"I think (Mr Dutton) has made a good start but we have a lot of work to do."

The Liberals also need to win back support from young people and women following a perceived lack of policy agenda for those voters.

Young Liberal president Dimitry Chugg-Palmer said his organisation had never been more important and was pushing for policies to address housing affordability, climate change and workplace equality.

"The future of the Liberal Party rests with young Australians who are passionate about building a more prosperous, strong, fairer and peaceful Australia," he told AAP.

"We have heard the voice of Australians at the ballot box in the last year and are strongly committed to applying our timeless Liberal values to the challenges of today."

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