Colleen Harkin Quits Liberal Party After Praising One Nation

Colleen Harkin, a Liberal Party member and education director at the conservative think tank the Institute of Public Affairs, has resigned from the party. Her resignation follows her attendance at a One Nation fundraiser held on June 12.

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Inside the room, there was a very high energy positive feel. What interested me most was the spread and type of people who were there.

Harkin, who previously ran as a federal Liberal candidate for the seat of Macnamara, described the atmosphere at the One Nation fundraiser as having "a very high energy positive feel." She was particularly struck by the diversity of attendees, stating, "When we've had these conversations here about a presumption of people who have lower socio-economic class or a lack of academic qualifications as One Nation supporters. It was not what was in the room."

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When we've had these conversations here about a presumption of people who have lower socio-economic class or a lack of academic qualifications as One Nation supporters. It was not what was in the room.

In an email to Liberal members, Harkin explained her decision, stating she had been concerned about the party's direction for years but had held on in an attempt to restore its core principles. She believes the party is now in an "insipid state" due to a lack of policy conviction and can no longer support an organization that has "lost sight of its principles, its purpose and its responsibilities to its own members."

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I have spent decades of my life supporting the Liberal Party. I have volunteered, donated, fundraised, campaigned and defended the Party because I believed it stood for something worth defending. For years I have been concerned at its direction, but hung on by a fine thread, trying to help restore and preserve core principles. However, I no longer believe the party is committed to the same values that inspired my loyalty. I have not changed. The Party has. I cannot continue to support an organisation that has lost sight of its principles, its purpose and its responsibilities to its own members. I hereby resign my membership of the Liberal party.

She wrote, "I have not changed. The Party has." Harkin expressed respect for former leaders Tony Abbott and Brian Loughnane but felt their executive leadership could not compensate for a party shaped by "Machiavellian factionalism, expediency and a lack of policy conviction."

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However, their executive leadership cannot compensate for a party shaped by the Machiavellian factionalism, expediency and a lack of policy conviction that has seen the party brought to its insipid state.