The hard right faction within the Liberal Party, egged on by the shock jocks, the IPA and the Murdoch gutter press, has wielded way too much influence on policy and the leadership for too long. If the moderates within the party don't take heed and rein them in and shift the party back towards the centre right, the Libs are in for an extended stint on sidelines.
The voters of Wentworth and Victoria have sent a clear and unequivocal message but don't expect the hard right to listen and take a look in the mirror. As long as there's someone or something else to blame, the rhetoric will continue unabated. The question for them is, do you really want Bill Shorten to be prime minister for the next 8 years?
