Transcript - Interview with Kieren Gilbert, News Day, Sky News, 2 February 2026
The Hon Alex Hawke MP
Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation
Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Transcript
Interview with Kieren Gilbert, News Day, Sky News
Topics: Liberal Party, National Party, Albanese Labor Government, One Nation.
E&OE…
Kieren Gilbert, host
In the studio with the Manager of Opposition Business, Alex Hawke. You've been around the Parliament and politics for a long time. Paul Kelly, the doyen of Australian journalism, said earlier that he has never seen anything worse on the centre right of politics. The threat is existential. It's a tough time for your party right now.
Alex Hawke
I think Paul Kelly's advice is something that should be listened to by everybody on the centre right of politics in this Parliament today. He has seen it all. I haven't been around as long as him, but I've certainly seen a lot of these issues in both parties. And when you get division of this nature, or when you get internal turmoil, the voters turn away from you in record numbers. They want you to get your house in order. And I think on the right of centre in Australia, there's a real need that we have to get our house in order. And a lot of sensible people can see that.
Host
When you say the house in order, what exactly would you like to see happen now?
Alex Hawke
Well, the first thing is the Coalition. And what is, I think, the most concerning this week for anybody in their right mind here in this Parliament is maintaining that great political alliance that has seen the federal government dominated by the Coalition since we formed it. And that has been the majority of federal governments that the Australian public has chosen. And it's because they saw the Liberal Party and our partners, the National Party, as the best choice to govern the country historically. So, we've got to now, for the future, go back to the voters and say, that alliance is relevant, it's strong, and it's needed to keep the show together.
Host
A couple of weeks ago, David Littleproud was saying that they wouldn't be able to serve under a Sussan Ley leadership. That seems to almost have backfired in a sense that it's made Liberals less inclined to move against her than more. How did you read that intervention from him, and how is that playing out right now within your party?
Alex Hawke
Look, I think it was a moment of anger. I haven't heard him repeat that claim, and I think he's sort of moved away from that. So we can forgive him that. We can sort of turn the other cheek. I think Sussan Ley has turned the other cheek and said, OK, I know you were angry about whatever happened, but I'll turn the other cheek and let's keep talking. I would say, though, that David Littleproud is on the verge of scoring the biggest own goal in centre-right Australian politics of our entire history if he does this. We are urging him not to break the Coalition, because it will be the biggest own goal. It will be bigger, or as big, as the DLP split in the Labor Party. Paul Kelly is right to warn the centre-right of politics. If there's any chance or prospect of turning away from this course, David Littleproud needs to turn away from scoring the biggest own goal of all time in the centre-right of Australian politics.
Host
And when you say that, are you referring specifically to that rise of One Nation? Because at the moment we don't know if it's a protest vote, if it's going to solidify. But if you have this permanent split, are you worried then that it becomes a permanent structural shift in our politics?
Alex Hawke
Well, the first thing for the Liberal and National parties is our Coalition. Breaking the Coalition will not help us make a coherent argument to the Australian people about politics. Now, the Liberal Party has its own traditions, and we're very different from the National Party, no question about it. When the National Party makes cases sometimes to intervene further into the economy and regulate supermarket prices, as a Liberal, I say that the government intervening into supermarket prices will make goods more expensive for consumers and it won't help, and millions of Liberals agree. But we have more that unites us than divides us on policy - and I think David Littleproud knows that. And some of the Nationals that are backing him, it's not universal, but some of them that are saying let's split should really pause and consider the impact of breaking that coalition. I don't believe a broken Coalition will help the Nationals compete with One Nation on the right. In fact, it will weaken their position substantially. And you could see many of them lose their seats in the Senate. They poll 2% nationally. But in the lower house, it's unclear how a National Party on its own would beat One Nation.
Host
That's the view of Colin Boyce, who's moving this spill this afternoon. He believes that it's electoral suicide from them. You've described it as the biggest own goal potentially in our political history on the centre right of politics. Can I ask you, in terms of the fallout within the Liberal Party, does Sussan Ley still have the numbers?
Alex Hawke
Absoltuey. So the one thing in this episode, we were united about this: out of our biggest national security incident and terrorist tragedy on our shores, the Liberal Party was totally united. Our position was united on supporting the Government in the final draft of those hate speech laws. And the National Party knows that. That final bill, we can look Australians in the eye, and say it is a safe, it is a proper response, it is something that all the Parliament has agreed to, and it's the right response, one of many that should happen in relation to the terrorism attacks. The final product, the original product was not. But the Liberal Party was able to force the Government to back down and pass something that is sensible.
Host
So you're saying there's no catalyst for a move against her? She's done nothing wrong?
Alex Hawke
Absolutely not. And I would say to the Nationals about this issue, this is not a real issue that they're using to split the Coalition. I don't believe it is a real issue. And since we've seen the potential of a Coalition split, I again say to the Nationals, well, stop criticising ASIO and start criticising Albanese. We can't walk with them if they're going to criticise our national security agencies and say they're in a conspiracy with the Government. It isn't a good message, it isn't a right message, and we don't believe it.
Host
Do you believe there is a future for the Liberal Party right now? When you look at these numbers today, teens in terms of your polling, less than 20% even with the Nats, One Nation in the mid-twenties.
Alex Hawke
I do, absolutely. Economic liberalism is the only antidote to the crushing size of the welfare state, and Albanese is expanding the size and scope of Government every single day. I've always believed it, Kieran, and I always will believe it.
Host
How do you get back to the point, and you and I, certainly I remember it vividly, you were a bit younger than me, but the Howard era of the broad church, he was able to bring the broad church together. Right now, it's in smoking ruins.
Alex Hawke
It is a bad time, and the Coalition's our first priority. We are saying to the Nationals, do not do this, that will be a fragmentation on the right and it will have consequences, and the beneficiary will be, number one, Anthony Albanese. But also in the Liberal Party if we go separate to the Nats no.
Host
And just focus on your party, there's a conservative group that want to replace Sussan Ley sooner rather than later, you know that?
Alex Hawke
There's always tensions in political parties, but the personality isn't at issue here, it's the issues. Changing a personality won't change our political fortunes. Now, you've got to remember, Kieran, even in the Howard era, One Nation rose to heights that had never been seen before. They won 20-something seats in the Queensland state Parliament at the time. Howard had to stare them down. We can stare them down. One Nation is a protest party. Voters are protesting and telling us they want some important reforms from the Liberal Party and the National Party. We have to listen to them. But we can stare down One Nation again, and we will.
Host
With Sussan Ley as leader?
Alex Hawke
Absolutely with Sussan Ley.
Host
She's the right person for the job?
Alex Hawke
She is the right person for the job, and she is the elected leader of the Liberal Party, and no one has said any different.
Host
And you're adamant that the basis for that leadership remains in terms of the numbers?
Alex Hawke
I think she has the right vision. She's a rural Liberal, she understands the bush and the city, she's also got the right approach to make sure the Liberal Party is going to be on that economic free market antidote to the growth of the welfare state, and Labor has no answer except to expand government spending, to expand taxation, and control over our lives. And that's what Liberalism is about, and we're going to get back to that, and make sure that's our principle.
Host
I know you've got to go, but this week will be interesting in Parliament with the numbers and so on. It's going to be a very large crossbench, your Opposition diminished in number. How do you keep the morale up?
Alex Hawke
Well, it will be a sad week. I make no bones about that. We are saying to the Nationals, don't score this own goal. You've got the ball, you've turned around, you're aiming at the goal, pull away. Kick it to the side, get back with us, and let's not let this happen.
Host
Alex Hawke, appreciate it. We'll be talking to you on a regular basis. Thanks for coming on the show.