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Former federal senator Hollie Hughes has quit the Liberal Party, saying it has strayed from its values and accusing some former colleagues of being “lazy” and “inept”.
Speaking on Sydney’s 2GB on Tuesday, Hughes — who left parliament just six months ago — backed Sussan Ley’s leadership but said the party was mired by internal division.
“It is absolutely a rabble,” she said.
“I have all the support in the world for Sussan Ley, I think she is doing an outstanding job.
“But there are some people who are completely inept, who are lazy, who are not across the details.”
Hughes said the direction some members wanted to take the party no longer reflected the values of founder and former prime minister Robert Menzies.
The sentiment that many Australians no longer resonate with certain political views was expressed candidly by Hughes. She noted a shift in the public’s perception, suggesting that the current political climate may not align with the views of a significant portion of the population.
She added Ley had done a “great job” as leader, including on net zero, by allowing members a chance to voice their views at a party room meeting.
But she questioned how the federal division could be at odds with the NSW branch, which has backed a net zero by 2050 target.
“I don’t know how it works,” she said.
Despite this disconnect, Hughes expressed her determination to remain active within her political party. She humorously likened her future contributions to “sniping from the sidelines,” drawing a parallel to the actions of some former parliamentarians who continued to influence politics from outside the mainstream channels.
“I’ve always put [the party] first,” she said.
“But when I look at the undermining that is going on, and I see some of the people doing it, I want to be able to give you absolute home truths about it without the hypocrisy of being a paid-up member of the Liberal Party.”
Hughes served as a NSW senator from 2019 to 2025 and was shadow assistant minister under former Opposition leader Peter Dutton.
She left parliament after being placed in an unwinnable senate position following a preselection loss.
Since leaving office, Hughes has purchased a pub at Rydal in the NSW central tablelands.