Liberal backbencher Julia Banks announced that she will not contest the Chisholm seat in the next elections, expressing her frustration over last week’s leadership crisis.
In her strongly-worded statement, the Greek-Australian backbencher cites ‘bullying and intimidation’ as practices used during the leadership spill, that led her to this decision, which undermines the Coalition’s hopes for a return to stability – and winning the marginal seat.
In her statement, Ms Banks, who supported Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister throughout last week’s challenge, claims having received calls from her constituents saying they wanted Mr Turnbull to remain prime minister and Ms Bishop to remain as deputy and foreign minister.”So did I,” she says.
“I have always listened to the people who elected me and put Australia’s national interest before internal political games, factional party figures, self-proclaimed power-brokers and certain media personalities who bear vindictive, mean-spirited grudges intent on settling their personal scores,” reads the Chisholm MP’s statement.
“Last week’s events were the last straw.
“More important, the people of Chisholm know that I say what I think. They know that I will always call out bad behaviour and will not tolerate any form of bullying or intimidation. I have experienced this both from within my own party and from the Labor Party.”
This comment is believed to be a reference to the conservatives within the party, who were accused of intimidating several women MPs and senators to support the push against Malcolm Turnbull.
Ms Banks also warned those who would accuse her of “playing the gender card” that she will continue to fight for gender equality because women have been “silent for too long and in this last 12 months the world has seen many courageous women speak out.”
“To young women and men reading this announcement, I say I’ve only ever aspired to inspire. If I’ve inspired any one of you to have leadership courage – that will sustain me,” she said, after having stressed that “the scourge of cultural and gender bias, bullying and intimidation continues against women in politics, the media and across business.”
Ms Banks announced her decision to PM Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg yesterday; the new Liberal Party leaders tried to persuade her to change her mind and contest her seat, the Liberal’s most marginal seat in Victoria.
Despite winning the seat by just 1.6 percent, Ms Banks’ win was deemed of great significance, given that Chisholm had long been a Labor Party stronghold, mostly held by former Speaker Anna Burke. It was the only seat the Coalition took from Labor in the 2016 election and was instrumental in allowing Malcolm Turnbull to form a majority government.
Ms Banks is expected to return to Parliament on September 10 and stay until the election. Her decision to quit Parliament is seen as a blow to the Morrison government, which will struggle to keep majority, after the by-election triggered by Malcolm Turnbull’s decision to quit politics, after losing the leadership challenge.
