After more than two decades in opposition, the Canberra Liberals have squandered yet another chance at government.
Come election night in 2028, ACT Labor will have been in power in the territory for 27 years.
There is no denying a sense of complacency has crept into the government's ranks. Bureaucrats have become comfortable and some poor decisions have been made which have cost taxpayers millions. But at the end of the day the Liberals were too much of a risk.
The election results showed Canberrans wanted change but when it came down to it many couldn't fathom giving their vote to the opposition. This has been a common theme in recent elections. In 2020, people turned to the Greens, this time it was the independents.
This is in part due to the Canberra Liberals branch being captured by the most conservative of the movement. That doesn't go down well with Canberrans.
When Elizabeth Lee became opposition leader she declared that things must change. This happened too late.
There have been efforts in the Liberals over recent times to clear out the arch-conservatives but it wasn't in time for the party to secure the 2024 poll. It needed to start in the beginning.
Lee was no doubt hindered by former ACT senator Zed Seselja. But he is gone.
Now the party has lost its seventh election in a row there will be internal reckonings. No doubt, the conservative element of the party will point the finger at the moderate tilt and will try to seize control again.
Some members in the party would prefer the Liberals to remain in opposition and prosecute an anti-wokeness agenda. They would much prefer the party to be on the far right than actually present themselves as a viable, moderate alternative in Canberra.
They want the party to exist as a protest party (perhaps these people should consider moving to Family First).
This internal friction prevents the party from getting on with the job.
The Liberal machine needs to become much more polished during the next term if they want to win in 2028. They need to be much better at candidate vetting and work on policy needs to be completed much earlier, it can't just be populist policy.
Much will also be said of Lee's future but the party shouldn't be quick to move her if they actually want a chance. Lee said she would not make any "rash decisions". The party should follow the same advice.
