Libs play down bad poll

TASMANIA’S Liberal senators have played down the Turnbull Government’s loss of its 30th consecutive Newspoll, saying it does not mean the Coalition can’t win seats at the next federal election.

“Do we need to lift our game, yes, and do we need to present a more united front, yes,” Senator Richard Colbeck said yesterday.

“But I am not conceding we can’t win seats at the next election, we can win at least two.”

The Newspoll published yesterday handed Labor a lead of 52 to 48 per cent in twoparty preferred terms.

Senator Eric Abetz said the 30 losing polls were a false measure in 2015 and remained a false measure.

Senator Abetz said he and his colleagues were focused on convincing all Tasmanians the Liberal party was worthy of support at the next federal election.

“[The] Newspoll is interesting,’’ he said.

“All I take from it is that I – like all my colleagues – need to work harder and that’s what I’m focused on in developing policy to deal with the cost of living pressures facing so many Tasmanian families.”

The Liberals lost Bass, Braddon and Lyons to Labor at the 2016 election.

Senator Jonathon Duniam said he didn’t think the taxpayers of Tasmania wanted him to be in Canberra worrying about insider politics.

“On the back of such strong support for the Liberals in the recent state election, I remain hopeful of regaining seats in Tasmania at the next federal election and Malcolm Turnbull continuing to be the prime minister,” he said.

Senator Colbeck said the state election, which gave Will Hodgman’s Government 50.5 per cent of the vote, showed Tasmanians would vote Liberal if they saw a strong and stable team.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull cited the loss of 30 Newspolls in a row as a key reason for challenging then leader Tony Abbott in 2015.

Mr Turnbull says he now regrets those comments but believes Australia deserves better economic leadership and a restoration of traditional Cabinet-style government.

Senator Colbeck said the Newspoll tally was a “bit of an insider thing”.

“I am not too sure the electorate is too fussed about it.

“I think they are more con- cerned about energy and costof-living issues and are looking for good and stable government like Will Hodgman has provided for Tasmania.

“I don’t think people want politics at the centre of their lives, they want us to get on with it and not talk about ourselves.”

Senator Colbeck is believed to have been the only Tasmanian Liberal to support Mr Turnbull at the September 2015 spill.

Senator David Bushby declined to comment.