Ashton Hurn can’t distance herself from Liberal Party’s internal problems forever

Liberal leader Ashton Hurn maintains that the South Australian public is indifferent to the internal struggles of her party. Speaking at a fundraising event, Hurn stated that none of the nearly 5,000 attendees expressed interest in the Liberal Party's internal workings.

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not one person of the near 5,000 people out here today wanted to speak to me about the internal workings of the Liberal Party

Despite Hurn's public stance, the coming weeks are critical for the party's future direction, and internal politics are currently causing damage. A deep division exists within the Liberal Party regarding the selection of its state president, with the annual general meeting scheduled for August 29.

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you'd have a better chance of brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine

One moderate member likened brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine to finding a consensus candidate for the presidency. Conservative Senator Alex Antic has been the sole public nominee for the role for months. The presidency holds significant influence, including a position on the federal executive and the candidate review committee, which vets potential candidates for state and federal seats.

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It's not a situation where people are sitting back and saying, 'Oh well, it's Alex's for the taking'

This potential influence worries some moderates, particularly regarding Senator Antic's role in approving candidates. Federal Liberal MP Tony Pasin emphasized the need for a contested ballot, suggesting that a lack of competition would reveal the internal power balance of the party's factions. Details of any alternative candidate were closely guarded by Liberal HQ following the nomination deadline.

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If there's no contest, I think that says a lot about the relative strengths of the wings of our party