Liberal frontbencher Jonno Duniam to quit politics in blow to struggling Coalition
Tasmanian senator Jonno Duniam will leave politics by year-end, adding pressure to a Coalition already near historic lows in the polls.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Jonno Duniam says he will step away from federal politics after more than a decade in Parliament, citing family and exhaustion. His exit lands at a difficult moment for the Coalition, which is trying to steady itself amid weak polling and the rise of One Nation.
A senior Australian politician says he is leaving his job so he can spend more time with his family. It is like a team that is already losing a lot suddenly losing one of its key players too.
Analysis
What happened
Liberal senator Jonno Duniam says he will quit politics before the end of the year. The Tasmanian frontbencher has been in Parliament since 2016 and said the move was a long time coming after 25 years in politics overall. He described the choice as difficult and tied it to wanting more time with family after years of putting work first.
Why the timing matters
Duniam serves as shadow home affairs minister, so his departure removes a senior voice from the opposition’s frontbench. He told opposition leader Angus Taylor in advance, and Taylor asked him to finish the Coalition’s immigration policy work before leaving. Duniam said he was happy to do that and to keep working on the party’s migration plan and broader messaging around integrity and national interest.
The wider political backdrop
The article frames the resignation as a fresh blow for a Coalition that is already polling poorly. It says current polling could even leave the opposition wiped out if One Nation keeps rising. A Redbridge Group/Accent Research poll published in May showed One Nation’s primary vote ahead of both Labor and the Coalition for the first time.
The story also notes tension inside the opposition over how to deal with One Nation. Liberal MP Tony Pasin suggested the parties should avoid running against each other in the same seats, but Taylor rejected the idea and senator James Paterson called it premature. That makes Duniam’s exit part of a broader picture of pressure, uncertainty, and internal debate inside the Coalition.
Key points
- Jonno Duniam says he will leave federal politics before the end of 2026.
- He cited family and exhaustion after 25 years in politics.
- Duniam is the shadow home affairs minister and a Tasmanian senator.
- He will stay on briefly to help finish the Coalition’s immigration policy work.
- The article says the resignation comes as the Coalition faces very weak polling and One Nation’s rise.
If Duniam finishes the migration work as planned, the Coalition may be able to leave with a clearer policy message rather than a rushed exit. A smoother transition could also help the party show discipline at a time when its public standing is weak.
His departure adds to the sense that the Coalition is struggling to hold itself together. If the party keeps losing senior figures while One Nation keeps gaining ground, it could face even more pressure before the next federal election.
