David Crisafulli: Poking the “Right Wing” Bear
At the recent LNP convention, David Crisafulli’s description of “right wingers” as “well-meaning” but ultimately divisive has raised more questions than it has answered.[i]
Alienating “the Right”
Such rhetoric carries consequences. The current Premier risks losing the very base that built the Liberal National Party. Perhaps he is comfortable with that. But the history of politics suggests it is a dangerous gamble. Every time conservative leaders neglect conservative concerns; others are waiting in the wings to fill the void. The recent rise of One Nation at a Federal Level in Australia is a case in point.[ii]
The LNP ought to take note: neglect breeds alienation, and alienation births alternatives. Once voters feel unrepresented, they do not simply vanish – they go looking for new voices who will speak to their concerns.
The UK Conservative Party: A Cautionary Tale
If the Premier doubts this, he should look to the experience of the UK Conservative Party. For decades, the party leadership attempted to edge away from its right flank, downplaying issues like immigration, sovereignty, and national identity in favour of more centrist policies. The strategy was to present themselves as managerial moderates who could “get things done” without appearing ideologically driven.
However, in neglecting the concerns of their conservative base, the Tories created a vacuum. That vacuum has been filled by Nigel Farage, who is currently on course to be the UK next Prime minister, an appointment that seemed ridiculous just a few years ago.[iii]
The lesson is clear: when conservatives are told their issues are illegitimate, or merely “well-meaning,” they do not abandon those convictions. They take them elsewhere. And once they do, the political landscape is reshaped.
The Problem of Vagueness
The Premier’s remarks could not only be considered patronising but also ambiguous. What “right-wing” issues does he mean? Immigration? Religious freedom? Abortion?
Without specifics, his comments function less as analysis and more as a vague scare tactic. If he has statistical analysis to support these claims, he should be willing to demonstrate them, not just within his party but also to the public that voted his party into office.
His reference to Peter Dutton’s loss as the result of “right-wing policies” is nothing short of astonishing. What policies does he mean? Abortion? Dutton is openly pro-choice.[iv] So, where exactly is the “right-wing” bogeyman?
Pragmatism Without Principle
Let me be clear, David Crisafulli is a pragmatist, a managerial moderate who for the sake of ‘unity’ is dismissive towards ‘ideological’ issues. What is clear, for him, “right wing” has become a pejorative term, as well as his use of “US style politics”, these are labels deployed to silence any whiff of dissent.
Yet his willingness to continue to poke to the “right wing” bear, to reduce them to a noisy nuisance he must quieten, suggests a strategy of pure political survival – not conviction.
The Cost of Neglect
The danger for the LNP is history repeating itself. As the UK Conservatives discovered, as Peter Dutton discovered, neglecting the right does not cause conservative concerns to disappear. Instead, it drives them into the arms of others who will gladly champion them, even if that means destabilising the political mainstream.
For now, at least, Crisafulli may succeed in dampening “right-wing noise” within the LNP. But if he continues to dismiss and alienate that constituency, the long-term cost could be high. Not only with his ‘supporters on the right’ but also with those in his own party who lean right.
Endnotes
[i] McKay, Jack. “Federal Coalition gave up middle ground to appease conservative groups, Queensland premier says”. ABC News. Accessed 27 August, 2025. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-25/qld-david-crisafulli-lnp-conference-federal-election-assessment/105691480
[ii] One Nation. “One Nation Poll Surge”. One Nation Website. Accessed 27 August, 2025. https://www.onenation.org.au/one-nation-poll-surge
[iii] Heath, Allister. “Nigel Farage is on course to be PM. This is what the establishment will do to destroy him.” The Telegraph. Accessed 27 August, 2025. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/05/28/establishment-will-try-to-destroy-nigel-farage-pm-reform-uk/
[iv] Pandey, Ria. “Women’s issues, including abortion rights, face double standard, Anthony Albanese says”. News.com.au. Accessed 29 August, 2025. https://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/womens-issues-including-abortion-rights-face-double-standard-anthony-albanese-says/news-story/e869e5af5a451dc101f3faf40785aa30
