In a controversial move, Australia’s Liberal Party has decided to withhold from public release a comprehensive internal review analyzing its catastrophic defeat in the 2025 federal election. This decision comes fewer than four weeks after the party elected Angus Taylor as its new leader.
The contentious review, a project undertaken over several months by senior party figures Pru Goward and Mick Minchin, was finalized late last year. Despite its completion, the party’s Federal Executive announced on Friday its resolution to keep the document confidential.
An official statement justified the move by emphasizing a forward-looking strategy: ‘Our immediate priority is fortifying the Party’s foundation for future success. Consequently, the Federal Executive will expedite the implementation of necessary changes. Our goals are unequivocal: Reconstruct the Party, Regain voter confidence, and Secure electoral victories.’
The review, while acknowledging the party’s ‘enduring strengths,’ provided a critical examination of operational failures, breakdowns in voter engagement, and areas requiring significant improvement. The statement formally conceded the ‘decisive defeat’ and accepted both the verdict and the responsibility to enact change.
The review process itself was not without internal strife. Reports emerged in December that former leader Peter Dutton had expressed serious reservations about the findings. Most notably, the document allegedly identified the influence of former U.S. President Donald Trump and his political brand as a pivotal factor contributing to the loss, a claim that stirred considerable debate within party ranks. The Liberal Party extended its gratitude to Goward and Minchin for their ‘tireless work’ on the suppressed analysis.