The Coalition loss in NSW has left Tasmanian premier Jeremy Rockliff the most senior elected Liberal in the nation. Mainland Australia is now governed coast-to-coast by Labor governments at both the state and federal level – a political map not seen since 2007.
The election result will provoke some deep soul-searching in Liberal ranks. One of the debates already under way is whether this new national picture reflects a common theme or if there are factors unique to each state that makes a national narrative more difficult to ascertain. It’s an important question and will determine some of the learnings for the Liberal party.
