Former prime minister John Howard says the teal independents elected at the 2022 federal election benefitted from the “disillusioned” votes cast by people who normally vote Liberal and “couldn’t bring themselves” to vote Labor.
At the last federal election, the Liberal Party lost six seats to teal independents and 18 seats overall, with 10 going to Labor and two to the Greens.
“The teals offered a good alternative,” Mr Howard told Sky News host Chris Kenny.
“There’s one thing I very strongly, publicly and privately counsel the Coalition against is this idea that you’ve got to have a teal-specific approach.
“If you have strong policies on the economy, on national security, on family issues, you win the public back, and you choose good quality candidates.”
