Liberal senator says she is ‘too fond of good coffee’ to join Nationals where she’d ‘have to talk a lot slower’ | Liberal party

Liberal senator Jane Hume joked that she would “have to talk a lot slower” if she got into the Nationals, saying she was “too much into good coffee and free markets” to join the regional party, after David Littleproud said he was open to more Conservatives joining their ranks.

It comes amid a long-running and damaging period of soul-searching for the opposition, with Liberals and Nationals members considering switching parties, launching a new conservative movement or considering leadership options.

Hume’s sarcastic comments were criticized by Labour’s regional development minister Kristy McBain; McBain accused the Melbourne-based politician of insulting regional Australia and his rival of being “arrogant” and “arrogant”.

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Littleproud, National Team leader, He told the Australian newspaper He has been open to accepting colleagues switching parties and claimed his move had “more impact than ever”, with 15 of 43 Coalition MPs in the lower house and four of 27 in the Senate.

The development comes amid growing tensions between the two Coalition parties, including Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s clumsy switch from the Nationals to the Liberals and disagreements over net-zero emissions and climate change that led to the Coalition’s brief dissolution in May.

Hume, a former backbench minister now, was asked on Channel Seven’s Sunrise whether he would accept Littleproud’s offer to take part in the Nationals.

Hume grinned and alarmed grimly: “Well, look, I look very attractive indeed in an Akubra, Nat, I’ll tell you that much. I also should have talked a lot slower and talked about areas in the smartass corner more often.”

“But look, no. To be honest, I’m too fond of good coffee and the free market to join the National Party.”

Hume’s office later clarified that he was mocking his Nationals colleagues and that his comments were not intended to probe Australia’s regional situation more generally. But McBain, who is in the regional constituency of Eden-Monaro, criticized Hume’s comments.

“Senator Hume’s attempt at humor clearly shows who today’s Liberal party is: out of touch, arrogant and entirely self-focused. It’s one thing to be angry at a coalition partner, it’s another to insult the entire Australian region,” he said.

“People in Geraldton, Geelong and George Town don’t need the sarcastic lectures from arrogant Liberals who think we’re all slow-talking blokes as soon as you step off the roads of inner Melbourne.”

McBain welcomed Hume to his constituents and offered to treat him to “an excellent chai latte from my local cafe Infuse in Tura Beach, a macchiato from 4 Seeds in Queanbeyan or a croissant from Honorbread in Bermagui.”

Responding to McBain’s criticism, Hume shared another sarcastic response.

“I would be happy to judge the best coffee in the regional Australian competition and would also like to include meat pies and vanilla wedges,” he told Guardian Australia.

“Please send me the list, Kristy. But remember that I like my coffee with a little humor.”

While some Liberals and Nationals are keen to scrutinize the election results and continue to flirt with launching new conservative movements, senior Coalition members are urging their colleagues to start looking ahead to the next election rather than remaining fixated on a long-standing obsession with self-assessment.

Shadow minister James Paterson said this week his party “must make time for an apology tour” and start focusing on holding the government to account. Opposition leader Sussan Ley issued a statement on Thursday saying the Coalition must “reconnect with Australians we have lost touch with and develop new policy solutions to the challenges of our time”.

“We need a new Liberal agenda that meets this moment, based on our enduring values,” he said.