politics
Liberal Senator Jonno Duniam to Leave Parliament Before End of 2026
The Tasmanian senator and shadow home affairs minister informed opposition leader Angus Taylor of his plan to leave parliament. Duniam cited family priorities and exhaustion from the party’s earlier leadership change.
The GuardianAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Liberal frontbencher Jonno Duniam will quit politics before the end of 2026. The 43-year-old Tasmanian senator, elected to parliament in 2016, informed opposition leader Angus Taylor of his decision and said he had been considering it for some time. Duniam, who serves as shadow home affairs minister, told Taylor he would complete the Coalition’s immigration policy work before departing.
Duniam said the party’s leadership change earlier in 2026 was an “exhausting” and “difficult” process that affected his personal energy levels. He stated that the decision would have been the same regardless of the Coalition’s polling position. Fellow Tasmanian Liberal senator Wendy Askew also announced she would leave the Senate after her appointment in 2019.
Duniam said he felt he was “letting down the team” but had given 25 years to the Liberal party and needed to prioritise his family, which includes three boys. Newly elected federal Liberal president Tony Abbott said he was “very disappointed” about the retirement.
” A Redbridge Group/Accent Research poll published in May 2026 showed One Nation’s primary vote had surpassed both Labor and the Coalition for the first time.
