Transcript - Doorstop Interview, Australian Parliament House, Canberra, 2 February 2026

The Hon Alex Hawke MP
Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation
Manager of Opposition Business in the House

Doorstop Interview, Australian Parliament House, Canberra

Topics: Liberal Party, National Party, Albanese Labor Government, One Nation, Australian Open.

Journalist

How have you been managing to convince people who support her not to shift their support?

Alex Hawke

Well, no one has rung me and said we need to change. I find that's the experience of my colleagues as well. Now, of course, people are upset about where we are at the moment in the polls. And the message that the Australian people are sending us. The reason we're there is because we have historic disunity in the Coalition. The National Party has proposed to break our Coalition. I'm being very clear about this: we do not want to break the Coalition. The Liberal Party would like to stay in coalition with the National Party, ideally, but that's up to Mr Littleproud now, and he needs to come to the table. But he’s on the verge. David Littleproud is on the verge of scoring the biggest own goal on the centre right of Australian politics of all time.

Journalist

Mr Hawke, can your parties reunite? While David Littleproud is in that seat, he's still demanding …

Alex Hawke

Yes, absolutely. I think ego has to be put aside. I don't think this is about personality or ego. Some people say change the personalities. This happened quickly. It can unhappen quickly if people are willing to put aside their personal egos. And so we say to Mr Littleproud, put aside your personal ego here. This is not about those things. The Coalition is broader than that, and we need to keep it together.

Journalist

What's your message to Angus Taylor, who does appear to be mounting a leadership challenge against Sussan Ley?

Alex Hawke

I was in Leadership with Angus this morning. We're all united about reforming the Coalition. I spoke to him this morning.

Journalist

In recent days, we've seen Mr Hastie formally come out on social media, withdraw himself in the leadership race. Do you think it's incumbent on Mr Taylor to do the same?

Alex Hawke

I don't mind if someone has an ambition for the future about being leader of the Liberal Party, a lot of people have in the past, and people do in this party, and that's a good thing. Andrew Hastie is a good and talented man. He has a big future in front of him. He's made the right call that it wouldn't be the right time to cause a leadership issue, because we have bigger issues between the centre right of politics. And he knows Sussan Ley is the right leader for the Liberal Party, and he's said as much by withdrawing. He knows that we can continue to focus on what matters to people, which is getting the Coalition together and getting on prosecuting the things that we actually care about, the economy, the failures of Albanese.

Journalist

Mr Hawke, just now you talked about, in the Howard years, stamping out that One Nation threat to the party. One of the differences then, to most recently, was that the Coalition did not preference One Nation last in every seat. Is that a mistake? Is that something that the Coalition should return to?

Alex Hawke

Well, absolutely, we have to look at all those things, but we have to listen first to what the public is telling us. And the One Nation party has always been a party of protest. Primarily they've been a Senate party. But now the public are protesting, very clearly, telling us they're not happy with the formula that we're offering them. We have to listen to that first, but also then tackle One Nation on the ground in our own terms, which is economic liberalism and a difference to Anthony Albanese over management of the economy.

Journalist

Do you think that the Coalition can be reunified under David Littleproud this week? [inaudible]

Alex Hawke

Absolutely. Well, I'd absolutely say to you, you look at Mr Chester's motion today. You look at what Col Boyce is doing, you look at what McCormack is saying. There are many people in the parliament on both sides, and there are more people outside the parliament, the grandees of the National and Liberal Party, who all would like to see the Coalition remain this week. And I think that's my message to Mr Littleproud: Listen to the overwhelming voice of both sides of the Nationals and Liberals past and present who actually don’t want a split Coalition.

Journalist

Mr Hawke, back to the Liberals. Andrew Hastie issued his statement the day after meeting Angus Taylor, Angus Taylor hasn't expressed disloyalty. But is it disloyal to have a meeting about Liberal leadership?

Alex Hawke

Not at all. I think they're all there. You know, they can discuss politics at any time. I wouldn't criticise a colleague for meeting with another colleague at any point in time.

Journalist

There is a momentum here that you know, it's all out there in the open, but you know how these things go, there is momentum here.

Alex Hawke

Well, the media thinks there is momentum here. I think in Opposition, there are always figures that would like to think about their leadership. That is normal in any political party. What's more important is, you know, is personality going to fix issues at the moment, or is it about substance? And I would argue passionately, we have to get our formula right on substance.

Journalist

In the caucus meeting, Anthony Albanese was drawing comparisons between the Liberals and Nationals and reality TV shows, saying people will be cheating on each other breaking up. Are you letting him get away with murder here?

Alex Hawke

I thought he was very smug today, Mr Albanese. A very smug indeed to start the year. And maybe he has a right to be in some people's minds. But I would urge Mr Albanese to stop watching MAFS and to tune in the Governor of the Reserve Bank, because that's what Australians will be watching tomorrow. And if we have a rates rise after his Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has told Australians the worst of the inflation crisis is over, well, he's kidding himself. He should stop watching reality TV and get back to his job.

Journalist

First of all, as a Nine employee you should watch MAFS. But secondly, not saying that, maybe I don't watch it. Secondly, do you think that Sussan Ley should clear the air and actually just bring on a leadership spill anyway?

Alex Hawke

Well, absolutely not.

Journalist

Nobody has declared or rung around or caused any ructions inside the party?

Alex Hawke

There's a lot more speculation in the papers than there is in now internally, so I just point that out. But no, she's not being challenged. You've heard people come out and say there's no challenge on.

Journalist

Were you happy to see Novak Djokovic lose? Nothing personal ever on that issue? Ever?

Alex Hawke

That was a government decision. It was not a personal issue.

Journalist

Has anything changed in your support for Sussan?

Alex Hawke

Not at all. Nothing at all. No, I support Susan. I've never had any issue about the fact I support Susan. I think she's the right leader for the Liberal Party. I think she's doing the right thing in trying to hold the Coalition together. I do hold Mr Littleproud accountable at this point. I do think what they did was inexplicable in relation to the biggest terrorism and national disaster, I think they fell into a government trap. I think it's okay to admit that and then say, we want to work it out. We also want to work out of it with them and move on.

Journalist

The Nats have said that they, in order to reunite with the Coalition, they want to see the reinstatement of three Senators. As far as I understand, that's always been sort of a bit of a block negotiations. Are Liberals willing to concede that there has been some more movement on that? Would you welcome back the three or reinstate the three expelled Senators back?

Alex Hawke

Look, I think you've got to have everything on the table in a negotiation. That's what we're asking for, asking Mr Littleproud to get on with it. Now, we know he has this party room issue today, whatever you want to describe it, but he, you know, everyone expects him to remain as Leader of the National Party. The negotiations shouldn't be subject to any hostage. Now they should go on and they have to canvass all topics, but you know that might actually get going. Thank you so much. Thank you all.

ENDS