Identity Struggle: Understanding State Liberals' Divergence from Sussan Ley's Net Zero Vision

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“They are worried about the next election,” Dr Blair Williams, lecturer in Australian politics at Monash University, told SBS News.

She replaced Brad Battin, who in turn won the leadership from John Pesutto last December.

While Wilson declined to comment on her party’s stance on net zero, Sloane said on Friday the party in her state would not ditch the target.

Amy Remeikis, chief political analyst at the Australia Institute, told SBS News the disconnect between the federal and state parties reflects a “real crisis of identity”.

“There is a noticeable effort by state parties to distinguish themselves from their federal counterparts,” she observed.

“This situation is presenting a significant challenge for the state Liberal parties as they attempt to distance themselves from the federal Liberal Party’s image.”

Polling indicates that more Australians support keeping net zero as an emissions reduction target in some capacity.

A Resolve poll conducted at the start of November and published in The Age newspaper showed 54 per cent of the 1,804 people surveyed supported a net zero target, with 28 per cent of people supporting it even if it were “aspirational” rather than legally binding.

Nineteen per cent believed Australia should abandon net zero, while continuing to reduce emissions where affordable. Twelve per cent wanted the target abandoned altogether.

It comes as the Coalition’s primary support has continued to drop. Polling released this week from RedBridge and Accent Research indicated the Coalition’s primary vote fell five points to 24 per cent, while Labor gained four points to sit at 38 per cent.

“It’s really difficult for the state Liberal parties to get any clean air at the moment,” Remeikis told SBS News.

With a state election in Victoria a year away, and the NSW election due in March 2027, Remeikis said it’s the states that are “bearing the immediate cost” of the disconnect between policy and people when it comes to issues such as net zero.

“It’s always harder for state parties because they’re the ones who have to deal directly with people. They’re the ones who are in charge of services,” Remeikis said.

Before taking on her political role, Wilson worked as a consultant at the renowned accounting firm KPMG and served at the Business Council of Australia. She was elected to represent the Kew constituency in 2022.

Jess Wilson has made history by becoming the first woman to lead the Victorian Liberal Party. Source: AAP / Joel Carrett

Williams told SBS News that Wilson presents an interesting alternative for Victorian voters.

“She’s a millennial. She’s 35 years old. That is really a smart choice, because the Liberal Party have been really struggling in the polls with not only women, but especially younger people,” she said.

“She has called herself a ‘small l’ liberal, and she was also the only Victorian Liberal MP to publicly support the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.”

A woman with short blonde hair wearing a blue jacket and a white shirt

Jess Wilson is the first female leader of the Victorian Liberal Party. Source: AAP / Joel Carrett

The leader she replaced, Brad Battin, had promised to be “tougher on crime and smarter on justice” than Labor, a stance that became less tenable after Premier Jacinta Allan announced a new policy that could see children as young as 14 sentenced to life in prison.

Battin had recently expressed he was “comfortable” retaining Victoria’s goal of net zero emissions by 2045.

Remeikis said that while Wilson is a “new face”, she doesn’t think the party will move closer to the centre of politics as a result.

“For the Victorian Liberals, it’s not a leadership problem they have. It’s a problem of policy and what their base is telling them to do.”

Wilson has said she would commit to the party’s policy to repeal the nation’s first Treaty with First Nations’ people.

A poll released the same day as the leadership spill showed the Coalition under Battin narrowly led the Victorian Labor Party 51-49, according to Freshwater polling.

Kellie Sloane defends yacht photo

On Friday, newly elected NSW Opposition leader Kellie Sloane told the media her party has had a “consistent position on net zero since 2016”.

“I’ll bring my own style of leadership. I’ll be consultative, I’ll try to remain myself, be authentic, listen to people.”

Sloane was also forced to defend a photo that emerged on social media of her eating caviar at a party on a yacht in 2017.

“If that’s the worst they can come off with, I think it’s a good start,” she said.

A woman on the left with blonde hair and a navy jacket, and a woman on the left in a lavender jacket.

Newly elected NSW Opposition leader Kellie Sloane joined deputy leader Natalie Ward outside the party room on Friday. Source: AAP / Bianca De Marchi

Williams said Sloane’s background as a journalist and broadcaster makes her an effective communicator.

“Which is quite useful when the previous Liberal leader really failed to get through and relate to people,” she said.

However, Remeikis said Sloane faces an uphill challenge against Labor Premier Chris Minns. A November Resolve poll found Minns led as preferred leader 31 per cent to 19 per cent — a drop from 37 per cent in September.

“It will not be Kelly Sloane’s fault if the NSW Liberals do not win the next election,” Remeikis said.

“It’s a really, really tough ask.”

Can they improve the polls?

Williams told SBS News she is unsure if either leader can reverse the fortunes of the Liberal Party, which polls especially low among young people and women.

“The party is crumbling around Australia. In the last NSW election the Liberals couldn’t even pre-select a lot of candidates for local councils,” Williams said.

In light of deeper questions about the ideology of the Liberal Party following the election defeat in 2025, these moves could be seen as “slapping on a fresh face, and a woman”.

“One leader can’t change everything, and nor should we expect women leaders to change everything,” she said.

“It’s going to take a pretty big change to change voters’ perceptions,” she said.

“But who knows? Stranger things have happened.”

“I’m from Queensland and we are a moody bitch when it comes to being an electorate, so maybe Victoria and NSW will take a leaf out of our book.”

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Identity Struggle: Understanding State Liberals’ Divergence from Sussan Ley’s Net Zero Vision

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