After simmering away for months the Liberal civil war is approaching boiling point, with up to 85 members unanimously voting in defiance of Jeremy Rockliff’s hand-picked State President Michael McKenna last night.

The furious members have demanded that Mr McKenna withdraws his expulsion of Brendan Blomeley – who has the “full support” of Rockliff’s biggest internal destabilising threat, Eric Abetz – or they will declare no confidence in the President.

Make no mistake, this isn’t just a dispute about Brendan Blomeley’s membership.

It’s an all-out proxy war between the moderates and the emboldened far-right forces of the party, who have made their disappointment at what they describe as an “electoral drubbing” under Rockliff, crystal clear.

The question now is whether Rockliff and his right-hand man will roll over to the conservatives so soon after claiming minority government.

If he does, Rockliff’s lifespan as Premier may be even shorter than first thought.

Luke Edmunds MLC  
Labor Member for Pembroke