We really needed to talk
The Victorian Liberal Party has been handed a scathing internal review of its performance at last year’s state election, pointing to disastrous communications policies and a level of dysfunction in the former government.
The review was conducted by former federal Liberal MP David Kemp and examines the Coalition’s historic loss in Victoria after just one term.
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It has exposed deep problems in the inner workings of the former Baillieu and Napthine governments.
“Many members [of the government] have told me they felt speaking up and promoting discussion was not encouraged and that debate was essentially shut down,” Mr Kemp said.
“There was little discussion in cabinet on the outcomes expected from policy submission.
“Some ministers have told me they felt less important than senior central staff for much of the term.”
The review also pointed to a lack of access to ministers by backbench MPs and important stakeholders.
Mr Kemp said the Coalition built too much of its campaign around the East West Link.
“It was repeated many times during the review that our campaign lacked a convincing narrative and relied excessively on infrastructure announcements, with the focus on East West Link,” he said.
“Common comments that ring true are that the campaign focused on ‘bricks and mortar’ at the expense of ‘home and heart’.
“Instead of being part of a large, more comprehensive plan, the East West link came to be seen as an either/or choice between better roads and better public transport.”
Communications ‘made the Government seem dysfunctional’
Mr Kemp was also scathing of the former government’s media and communications strategy.
“An unsatisfactory approach to government communications which places excessive reliance on communications through media releases, rather than the development of effective relations with journalists,” he said.
“At no time during the four years was there a co-ordinated media strategy across the government to get a government message across.
“The whole approach of government was to minimise the importance of communications.”
The review also found the drama that surrounded Liberal-turned-Independent Geoff Shaw damaged the government’s chances at the polls.
“The problem with Geoff Shaw made the government seem dysfunctional and powerless,” Mr Kemp said.
Mr Kemp told party delegates they must learn from the lessons of the 2014 election defeat.
“No single thing explains the result of the election and no single thing will help us get back into government next time,” he said.
“This is a time for intense self-reflection by us all.
“The Baillieu and Napthine governments achieved many good things for the state of Victoria but we failed to communicate these achievements.”